Relationships and Values: The Essentials for Success

I speak often of the importance of relationship power in today's business world. The way people buy into effective change in a corporate culture is dramatically different than it was just a few short years ago. The top-down model of directional/positional relationships does not appear to lead to the employee development and results that we desire.

Trust me, I work hard and am committed to practicing what I preach. More than anything, I value building dynamic and results-based relationships with exceptional people. Over the years, I have been blessed to have a number of key mentors who have coached and guided me in the principles of success.

One of those is Dr. Larry Senn, chairman and founder of Senn Delaney, a Heidrick & Struggles company. I was honored to be a partner with Senn Delaney and for almost 20 years worked with and learned from some of the most talented leadership consultants, who believed strongly in the Senn Delaney values-based approach of creating solutions for organizations, their leaders and employees at all levels of the organization.

Senn Delaney refers to them as the "Essential Values Set." They are:

• A performance value, which has a results focus, high expectations and an emphasis on personal accountability.

• A collaborative value, which promotes cross-organizational teamwork, mutual support and decisions for the greater good.

• A change value, which encourages innovation, openness to change, individual and organizational coaching, mentoring and learning.

• An ethics/integrity value, which provides an essential foundation for all else.

• An organizational (individual and team) health value, which creates and energized, open, trusting, respectful, positive, hopeful and optimistic environment.

It is through the implementation of all—not just some—of the above values that organizations can achieve lasting, positive change and approach the future with confidence. I worked closely with Larry Senn over the years, and traveled with him on many sales and consulting calls. I know the Essential Values Set worked because I saw them in action. Larry and our team lived by them, and taught me to live by them as well.

Today, I utilize those values in the practice of Leadership Transitioning™. They have made a difference not only for me, but for hundreds of corporations and organizations the world over. I know they will help you, too. To learn more, please visit my website at www.leadershiptransitioning.com, or call me at (330) 754-5767.

Jim Ondrus pioneered the management concept of Leadership Transitioning™. He is president of JA Ondrus, LLC, a Canton, Ohio executive coaching firm.