CEO, President, Big Cheese, Boss, Director, Captain, Chief… There are well over a hundred terms, but basically only two types of leaders.
Let me describe for you the two basic types of business leaders and the variations thereof: first is the Visionary. The Visionary, as the name implies, has the ability to envision the future. He or she is an ideator and comes up with an endless stream of new products or services along with an endless list of changes to whatever exists today. Typically, the Visionary juggles a dozen or more ideas simultaneously and gets very excited about the latest one.

Visionaries are passionate people, often, but not always extroverted and tend to be emotional over their ideas. They are creative and most times they are the founders of their respective organizations. Some can talk for hours about their concepts seeking support and feedback for improvement, but mostly their mission is to proselytize. For some, there is little concern about “people” because they are idea/ product centric. They focus on moving forward and people can get in the way.

While Visionaries burn with intense heat, their fires often go out as quickly as they started… particularly when they fall in love with a new mistress. Visionaries get bored easily! They are also fantastic problem solvers who love to solve business puzzles. Many are excellent with starting and maintaining “big” relationships in the business.

The second type of business leader is the executor or Integrator whose mission is to make sure the entire leadership team works harmoniously in executing the business plan. Gino Wickman, creator of the Entrepreneurial Operating System, in his most excellent book Traction: Get a Grip On Your Business contrasts the Integrator and the Visionary. From his experience, about half of the companies he works with have both a Visionary and an Integrator, while the other half has a single individual working both roles.

Integrators are detail conscious and systems oriented. They live for organizational clarity and value discipline, accountability and team unity. They instinctively know “who” is to be doing “what” in their organizations. They keep a close eye on the scorecard and can solve operational problems quickly and effectively while Visionaries often don’t see the problem till it is too late or struggle to bring the right people together to solve it. Integrators are the “tie-breakers” in the business.

Now, let me admit that I may be oversimplifying with my descriptions. All leaders have some measure of the two “types” I have described. In fact, it is not unusual to find a leader who demonstrates many of the characteristics I have described (particularly in entrepreneurial companies) but with scrutiny, you will see that they predominantly lean in one direction or the other. In fact, if you observe behavior under stress, their underlying drives and motivations distinguish themselves from one another.

While I am using the terms Visionary and Integrator to create a distinction, it is important to note that these two types of leaders have much in common. From a behavioral perspective, both are dominant, assertive individuals. They are problem solvers who often speak in the “I.” “I know how to solve that.” “Your ideas are good, but I believe mine offers the best solution.” These leaders are confident and independent and they are sure of the value of their opinions, decisions and ideas. They are competitive and determined to do more and do it better than others.
Another characteristic they share is their sense of urgency (and yes, not all leaders exhibit this trait- many are very stable and intensely focused, working on one thing and only one thing at a time). Most, need to get things done now and will drive themselves and others to do exactly that. Strong leaders are normally excellent at multitasking… and the demands of their jobs often require this behavior. You will find that some of these leaders are extremely tense and driven to release that tension in action. Some will be intolerant of delays. I am sure you know leaders that are just like this and in fact you may be one!

So the Big Cheese basically comes in two forms: hard cheese or soft. But there are an infinite number of varieties and flavors based on the unique personalities, needs and underlying drives. Knowing and understanding the distinctions of the two main types can be invaluable to you. An organization needs different types of leaders and of course it needs a great diversity in its work force as well, but the focus here is on leadership.

In a separate article, a friend of mine and fellow EOS Implementer- Ed Callahan wrote:
“Every company needs a great Integrator.” He went on to say, “In some companies, both roles exist in a single person; although he/she is probably more comfortable in one of those seats (roles) than the other. Steve Jobs for much of his 2nd coming at Apple was both Visionary and Integrator. To the extent that the leader of the company is almost completely a Visionary, then that company needs an Integrator.”

Here is a list of Visionary/Integrator pairs that come to mind,-
• Steve Jobs and Tim Cook (As CEO now, Cook probably needs to find a Visionary partner)
• Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer
• Warren Buffet and Charlie Munger
• Jack Welch and his wife Susie

If you are a Visionary who recognizes that he is not a strong Integrator then you need to find one and keep him or her by your side. Most importantly, you need to understand their contribution and how different his or her thinking may be from yours. And if you are an Integrator without a Visionary, find one in an outside advisor or bring one in to join your organization. Remember, the Cheese Stands alone but the Big Cheese has choices! Cheddar anyone?

How does it feel to go to work? How does it feel when the alarm rings on Monday morning and you have to drag yourself out of bed? How does it feel the day after Thanksgiving, when all you want to do is sleep and you have to be in the office at 8:30 am?

Do you, as a CEO or senior level exec ask yourself these questions? Maybe at one point in your career you did… when you were starting out – embarking on the journey that has led you to where you are today. But, most likely, today, these questions and those along a similar vein don’t cross your mind any longer. In fact, for you, work may be your life… life may be your work and they are completely entangled. They are one and the same. You may have the freedom to sleep in on a Monday morning, yet you choose not to. But simply having that freedom of choice removes the burden of going to “work.”

Your employees, on the other hand, are faced with the question of “How does it feel to go to work?” all day long. And, their answers should not be ignored. Their answer is something you, as a leader, should focus on. Their answers have a surprising impact on productivity, creativity and retention. Generally speaking, when employees are happy about their work environment, they are more productive. While the majority of employees will fulfill their minimum performance expectations, getting that little bit extra out of your team is something you strive for as a CEO or manager. I am not solely referring to work product, but to new ideas, innovation and overall excitement. Our employees consciously choose how much extra time, energy and effort they will spend working after meeting their job expectations.

When employees are in an engaging environment… when workers feel connected to the company, their work and their co-workers… more effort is put in to produce. Whether it’s putting together ten more widgets, making five extra phone calls or moving a dozen heavy boxes – engaged employees are happy and willing to go the extra mile because they are invested and want to make positive a difference. Engaged employees care and don’t see it as “your” company, but as “their” company too.

Creating and fostering a sense of community amongst employees is a tremendously powerful way to increase employee engagement and productivity. As human beings, our nature almost guarantees employees will create a sense of community with or without help from management. However, with a bit of tweaking and encouragement, the sprouts of community that may grow organically can be transformed into a fabulous garden of growth and possibility.

Consider the following techniques to increase community in the workplace:

Gather employee input – first and foremost, as you consider how to build community, ask your employees what community means to them. After all, it wouldn’t be a “community” if it were all up to you, as CEO or manager. Consider holding small meetings, distributing questionnaires or creating a discussion board on a company intranet. Find out what is important to your team, what they would like to see at work. Ask what they currently like and dislike. Make it clear there are no repercussions for disliking the way something is currently done and that smart, creative suggestions are what you are looking for.

Share company values and goals – George Bernard Shaw said — “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” Sharing key corporate values and goals should be one of the first things you do as a CEO to build community. It is a simple yet often overlooked task. By holding a company gathering and getting everyone on the same page, in terms of company values, goals and expectations, the roots of a community will begin to form. In their book Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, the authors write that people perceive themselves as part of a community when they believe that their goals are cooperative and that they share a common purpose. The sharing of information amongst the team allows employees to assign more value and meaning to their work; in turn, boosting morale, increasing motivation and helping you to retain key team members.

• Have bonding time — Try organizing regular events both in and out of the office in which the company participates. Encourage team members to get involved. Try supporting a local charity, forming a softball team or hosting a pot luck day. No matter the event, the end result is the same – it strengthens community. It allows employees to feel like they are part of something and working toward a common goal. It is surprising how often I hear from employees at different organizations that they feel their workplace is a lonely place. I wonder how they can feel alone when surrounded by an office full of people and activity. The answer is simply a lack of community. And a lonely worker is most likely not a motivated worker.

It’s truly fascinating… the concepts of community in the workplace and employee engagement date back thousands of years… before traditional offices even existed. Aristotle said, “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” These nine words sum up the importance of having employees engaged. When employees feel energized by their surroundings, enjoy what they are doing and are doing it with a known purpose, they will expend discretionary effort and be happy about it. A happy employee is not only a productive employee, but one who will stick around. This is an area where small changes in corporate culture and philosophy can reap great rewards.

By Guest Author: Don Tinney of EOS Worldwide

From time to time, I have clients ask me if I can do anything to help them with personal time management. The typical reason is that they have put too much on their plate and they can’t figure out how to get everything done. So here’s my response, and this comes from a lot of personal experience transitioning from a poor time manager to a more effective time manager.

There’s a big difference between time management and effective time management. For many of us, time management boils down to managing our To Do Lists – trying to get more done and checking it off our lists within prescribed deadlines, but doing more doesn’t mean we are achieving what we want. Many of us are caught in the hamster wheel, running as fast as we can and not really getting anywhere.

The problem is that life will hand us a hundred more things we can do today. There’s an endless supply of possible things to do. In contrast, effective time management is more about prioritizing. It’s deciding what we want – and that can be really hard for some of us – what we will do towards that end and even more important, what we will not do.

As with any hot topic, there are scores of books offering lots of time management techniques. My aim here is to simplify the matter rather than adding even more tasks to our already full To Do Lists.

Effective time management is about pausing to answer 2 questions:

1) What outcome do I want to achieve in the given period of time and
2) What must I do in the precious time I have to produce that desired outcome?

Most of us will never experience effective time management because we won’t stop running. We convince ourselves that the only answer is to run faster and longer. “It has to get done,” we think, “and I have to do it.” The tyranny of the urgent ensnares all of us, so the first and most effective time management step is to pause. Stop voluntarily. Don’t wait for the heart attack to stop you and force you to reprioritize. Break out from the reactive, mechanical doer mode.

Okay, now that you have stopped “doing”, take a few deep breaths and look ahead. In the day, week, quarter, year ahead of you, choose the outcomes you want to achieve. These are the outcomes that are most important to you. Everything else is less important and a distraction to your achieving what you want most. Set aside regular times to get and stay clear on what matters, even if it feels foreign at first. This clarity is essential for effectively managing your time and activities. The clearer you are about what you want and why you want it, the more impervious you will be to distraction.

With your outcomes vividly clear in your mind, answer the second question: “What must I do in the precious time I have to produce each desired outcome?”

Sounds so simple – and the process really is – but it’s not easy and absolutely impossible without the pauses. The tough part is choosing between all the things we can do to isolate the few things we must do to achieve the outcomes that matter most. Follow the process regularly – pause and answer the two questions – and I promise it will get easier and you will become an effective time manager.

I’m a David, not a Dave. It’s been that way for as long as I can remember. My mother would not tolerate anyone calling me Dave. If someone made the mistake of doing so in her presence she would look them in the eye and say, “I did not name my son Dave. His name is David and I would appreciate your using his real name!” This message was delivered with an acute clarity that allowed no tolerance for misinterpretation. For my part, I didn’t really care whether someone called me Dave, David, Schwartzie or some other nicknames not to be mentioned here. I would respond to anything addressed in my direction, particularly if it was associated with food.
There’s a lot of power in a name. Names have meaning rather than a definition. A name can travel the world, like Honda or McDonalds or it can Houdini itself into a verb, or become a Bronte adjective – defying the rules of grammar. Your name is chosen (albeit not by you), conferred and announced. All other symbols, signs and sounds in the English language are nothing more than mere words, chained together, forming a sentence. They are slaves to grammar, But names, they are the embellishment that give it class.

As the years went by, I came to feel quite differently. “Dave” just wasn’t acceptable. It was a nickname that implied a level of familiarity reserved for a select few who rarely used it unless they were trying to command my attention. Certainly, none of my staff called me by that name. Business associates didn’t use it and if they did, I corrected them in my mom’s absence.

In stark contrast, I have a mechanic, named Mike, who works on my car. His name is Mike not Michael. His business card says Mike and his closest friends call him “Mikey.” For some reason, however, I call him Michael. He told me today, out of the blue, that I am the only who calls him Michael. I asked him if that bothered or upset him and he quickly responded, “Not at all! I actually like it…makes me feel grown up like my dad, whom I was named after.” I told him that I would see him later in the day to pick up the car and he said, “Have a great day, Dave.”
At the time of this conversation, I didn’t think much about it but later in the day I started to think it was a little strange. Here I was calling Mike the Mechanic, wearing overalls covered in grease, “Michael”- in my attempt to show him respect and to elevate him through the use of his formal name while Mike was calling me Dave as a way of being my equal- a buddy using my colloquial name.
I realized this was not an isolated incident and certainly no accident. The way we address our fellow associates can be quite telling. When we first meet someone and learn his or her name, we use it in speaking with them directly and when referring to them when speaking to others. As time goes by, the formality fades and we may use a different name such as a nick-name or the person’s initials thus expressing the closeness that has developed. If you are speaking with a direct report about a serious matter and you want your tone and content to come through loud and clear, the use of the formal name sends a clear signal that you are not fooling around.

On the other hand, if you are attempting to close a gap between you and another individual calling them by a shortened version of their full name can be a great tool to imply a closeness and comfort that may be growing between you. A nickname is sometimes considered desirable, symbolizing a form of acceptance, but can often be a form of ridicule. How you address a coworker sets the tone for the message. A nickname is playful; a formal name means business. Do you recall how you reacted when your mom used your full name vs. a nickname?
It’s important to get this right – when you first meet someone, ask them how they prefer to be addressed. If they tell you to use their proper name, then do so. Always look for ways to elevate those who report to you. Show them respect by asking their opinions and listening to what they have to say. No one gets tired of hearing his or her name used in a respectful, positive way. On the other hand, be aware that you could be damaging relationships and negatively impacting someone’s ability to “hear” you if you are referring to them in the wrong way or if your tone is condescending.

You can invest a small fortune in tools and techniques to motivate your employees and co-workers and it can all go down the drain if you don’t show respect for their name.