Personality Style!

I kinda hesitantly took the MBTI test (Myers Briggs) and ended up being an ENTP! So poked around a little bit to find out how much relevant it was. As I went through the characteristics of ENTP type , I was thrilled and my evil mind started working....

• When inspired, they are fearless and tireless. Oh yeah, baby!
• ENTP has been described variously as the innovator, the originator, the lawyer, the inventor, the explorer, and the visionary. ENTPs also fall into the general categories of thinkers, rationals, and engineers. Right on!
• Their energy will know no limits unless red tape takes over. Woo ooh! Keep it coming!
• ENTPs are frequently described as clever, cerebrally and verbally quick, enthusiastic, outgoing, innovative, and resourceful. Hard to deny Iam not one of those. At this point Iam jumping up and down :-) Yep, Iam convinced!

MBTI is proven 75% accurate but you know at the end of the day, just believe in the right thing to do and the passion you wanna pursue. Thats what will define and make your personality glow even in the dark.

Starbucks - influences on buyer decision process

If you are wondering the various influences that goes on a low involvement process such as coffee buying, here you go. Here is a collection of influence that goes for Starbucks. Iam sure there are more..

What leadership style do you follow?

To be a successful leader, one has to have a mix of leadership styles. My comments on various leadership styles

Coercive Style Demands immediate compliance
Style in Phrase “Do what I tell you.”
I believe that this style can be one of the least successful in most situations. The “Do what I tell you” can be very successful in a turn-around situation or when working with problem employees. But often, the coercive leadership style strongly affects the company's climate by inhibiting the organization’s flexibility and dampening employees' motivation. Be careful out there!

Authoritative Style Mobilizes people towards a vision
Style in Phrase “Come with me.”

I believe that this style is often the most successful. This type of leader states the overall goal but gives people the freedom to choose their own means of achieving it. Since employees under this type of leader understand the importance of their job and reasoning behind, this style works especially well in most business situations, but it works particularly well when a business is adrift. This style will fail when the leader is working with a team more experienced than he or she is. Du'oh!

Affiliative Style Creates harmony and builds emotional bonds
Style in Phrase “People come first.”

I believe that this style is particularly successful for building team harmony or increasing morale and has a noticeably positive effect on communication. In addition, it gives employees the freedom to do their job in the way they feel is most effective. But remember you cant always be people, people!

Democratic Style Forges consensus through participation
Style in Phrase “What do you think?”

I believe this style's impact on a company's climate is not as high but definitely not negative. By giving employees a voice in decisions, democratic leaders build organizational flexibility, responsibility and help generate fresh ideas.Sometimes the price is endless meetings and confused employees who feel they have no leader.

Pacesetting Style Sets high standards for performance
Style in Phrase “Do as I do, now.”

I believe that pacesetting should be used sparingly just like the coercive style. This leader sets high performance standards and exemplifies them too. A very structured approach, pacesetting tends to destroy company climate by evaporating flexibility, responsibility. This style has a very positive impact on employees who are self-motivated, highly competent but other employees tend to feel overwhelmed by leader's demands.

Coaching Style Develops people for the future
Style in Phrase “Try this.”

The least used of all, this style focuses more on personal development than on immediate work-related tasks. It works well when employees are already aware of their weaknesses and want to improve, but not when they are resistant to changing their ways.

I think there is no one style which works in all cases. A leader becomes great when he is flexible enough to switch between different styles as conditions demand. I do strongly believe that good, efficient, emotionally intelligent leaders do use multiple styles and if a leader rely only one style and also not delegate, chances are more that an organization might fail to accomplish its own goals.

Leadership...

As Daniel Goleman said, Leadership is more art than science and is the process whereby one individual influences other group members towards the attainment of defined group or organization goals. Eisenhower D. Dwight, our 34th President quoted in simpler words

“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it”.

The individual who wields the most influence over others in a group or an organization is the leader. Leaders are different from mangers and the key distinction is that the managers are doing things right while leaders are doing the right things. All individuals cannot be leaders and all leaders cannot be good leaders.