By Doug Van Dyke, Leadership Simplified, www.leadershipsimplified.com

I play golf. Well, perhaps a more honest statement would be “I own golf clubs.” Golf for me is more like a nature expedition: walks in the woods, undersea exploration, discoveries at the beach. I can hook and slice with equal effectiveness. Pool screens fear me. At the end of the day though, I have a scorecard that tallies just how good, or bad, I played during the round. 

If only there was a scorecard pertaining to leadership! Well, search no more, one has hit the scene. Recently, during an interview on a nationally syndicated program called First Business, I was asked to give a leadership scorecard relative to the presidential debates. I have made some modifications to that scorecard to serve our business purposes. Why attempt to keep a leadership scorecard? Well, we can only manage what we can measure, so why not attempt to assess some of our key leadership traits. Without further adieu, here are nine nifty categories, along with brief rationales. 

The nine categories of leadership ability:

0. Communicate top priorities. If you have one set of priorities and your team members have others, how can you maximize productivity? Answer: ensure that you are using tools and techniques that have everyone rowing in the same direction.   
    
0. Delegate. Chances are that you have a LOT on your plate right now. This is an indication that delegation needs to take place. Utilize your internal and external resources to help you focus on the big rocks in your world. Squeamish about delegating? Take a leap of faith – delegate all you can and give your people the developmental opportunity to soar.  
    
0. Negotiate. Whether it is the ability to de-escalate a heated verbal exchange or to communicate during a complex financial transaction, your ability to negotiate with people is critical to your team’s success. Make certain you continually expand your repertoire of both verbal and non-verbal communication techniques in order to maximize your impact during negotiations.
    
0. Courage. Often times the difference between success and mediocrity is ten seconds of guts. Courage comes in many forms: making tough decisions, asking for business, choosing which sacrifices to make. Whatever the challenge, look it in the eyes and get gutsy.
    
0. Move groups of people. This means that you are comfortable addressing a group of people, and that you are confident in your ability to have them embrace your message. Remember: most great speakers are made, not born. Armed with some tools and coaching anyone can become an impactful speaker. 
    
0. Provide feedback. Whether you are sharing positive feedback or constructive feedback, seek to be consistent with your methodology and frequent with your praise. My favorite positive feedback mechanism is called Plus / Deltas. I have outlined this wonderful positive feedback mechanism in previous columns. If you need an update, please visit www.dvdconsulting.com for details. Something else to consider is to be open to receiving constructive feedback. As leaders we often give constructive feedback, but our reaction to receiving constructive feedback sets the tone for the entire team. 
    
0. Conduct meetings that are focused and efficient. Key components of effective leadership are: only holding meetings that are necessary, starting them on time, and running the meeting in a fashion that makes every participant think: “Wow, that was actually a good use of time.” Many leaders fall short here. Don’t be one of them.
    
0. Lead change. Several aspects of business are changing quickly. My prediction is that the pace and array of change will continue to escalate. This is a challenging area for leaders because they must grasp change themselves, and they must lead a team populated with people who all embrace change differently. To make matters even more challenging, leaders must appear consistent in their leadership approach, while adapting to new environments. I will be addressing this important topic in more detail in future newsletters. 
    
0. Rejoice. You know, there are a lot of negative items being thrown at us right now by the media. This trend has created a sociological malaise. It is darn challenging to find good news in the newspaper. My tip: read the sports page – it is the only thing consistently focused on victory. Regardless, take time to celebrate team successes. Furthermore, recognize individuals who excel – there are plenty of them. Be positive, rejoice, have fun. It’s your choice; choose wisely. 

With these items properly stated, let’s take a look at a sample scorecard. Keep in mind that in order to gather as much feedback as possible, your scorecard should be completed by you, your peers, your boss, and the team members you lead. In other words, the leadership scorecard can be treated like a quick Peer 360 Review. The scoring may look cheesy, but it is in line with our broad theme of golf – indulge me.   

                                             Leadership Scorecard

Scoring:

            Eagle = Outstanding

            Birdie = Very Good

            Par = Good

            Bogie = Improvement needed

            Double-Bogie = Hit the showers and take up badminton 

So leaders, how do you score? Ready for the pro tour? If you would like a few tips on how to improve your game, pick up a nifty book entitled Leadership Simplified or attend one of our boot camps. They both contain an abundance of resources that will have you turning bogies into birdies in no time. 

Now, where did I put those golf clubs? Oh, that’s right – the lake!      

Doug Van Dyke is a leadership and communication consultant, executive coach, and business planner. He is also a tournament-winning racquetball player. His book, Leadership Simplified, as well as audios and video are available at the Productivity Store of www.leadershipsimplified.com. To learn more about consulting services, coaching, and training, or to have Doug speak at your next event, contact him today at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or at 941-776-1121. 

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