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Lessons from the water-boy: How to lead and serve. (MoneyWatch) COMMENTARY We measure leaders' effectiveness more by what they do than by what they say.

Lessons from the water-boy: How to lead and serve

But after reading "Being a Better Leader" by ace restaurateur Ari Weinzweig, we can add another gauge -- measure leaders by what they write. Ari is an old friend and fellow resident of Ann Arbor, Mich., so I have watched closely how he and business partner Paul Saginaw built their deli Zingerman's not only into an entire community of food-related businesses, but also an international culinary sensation. What I like about Ari's new book, the second in his series about management and leadership, is its utter practicality. Ari knows what it takes to build a business, as well as to lead it -- two very different skills. By his own admission, Ari has made a few mistakes along the way, "Being a Better Leader" gets to the heart of what it means to lead people in ways that enrich the lives of all stakeholders, including customers, employees, and owners. © 2012 CBS Interactive Inc.. More Intelligent Life - StumbleUpon. It’s an unstoppable buzzword.

More Intelligent Life - StumbleUpon

But has professionalism gone too far? As a sportsman, Ed Smith saw it backfire at first hand; now he sees this in other fields, from “The Wire” to the banks ... From INTELLIGENT LIFE Magazine, Winter 2009 A young nurse, interviewed by John Humphrys recently on BBC Radio 4’s “Today” programme, was asked what she considered the two most important qualities in her job. “Being caring and being compassionate,” she replied.

“Not being professional?” “No, not being professional,” she confirmed. How did the concept of professionalism become so dominant? In 13 years as a cricketer I watched ultra-professionalism become entrenched as received wisdom. Professionalism was continually invoked as the primary means of improvement, whereas amateurishness was mocked as a laughable relic. The question no one ever dared ask was: is professionalism actually helping us to play cricket any better? Occasionally, it is true, an ex-pro warned me against over-professionalism. How to Face Your Critics. When people criticize you, what's the best thing to do?

Show up and face the music. President Barack Obama did just that when he met with Republican House members at their party conference last week in Baltimore. He met face-to-face with some of his sharpest critics, and in the process, demonstrated what it means to lead under fire. In doing so, the President, whether you like or dislike him, provided a template for leaders to use when they need to face critics. Here's what we can learn. Show up. Be open. Be cool. Acknowledge your shortcomings. Want to be a leader? Act like one - CNN.com - StumbleUpon. Meryl Streep plays Margaret Thatcher in the movie "The Iron Lady.

Want to be a leader? Act like one - CNN.com - StumbleUpon

" Dianna Booher explains key habits, skills, and characteristics of true leadersCommit to what you communicate, and follow through, says Booher. "Delivering the goods attracts attention and demands respect," she adds Editor's note: Dianna Booher, an expert in executive communications, is the author of 45 books. Her latest books include "Creating Personal Presence: Look, Talk, Think, and Act Like a Leader " and "Communicate with Confidence, Revised and Expanded Edition. " As CEO of Booher Consultants and as a keynote speaker, Dianna and her staff deliver speeches and training to increase effectiveness of communication and presentation skills. (CNN) -- You're doing all the obvious things: the right education, solid experience, a good mentor. Small differences can make a big impact.

Consider the following habits, attitudes, skills, and characteristics of a leader to see how you measure up and then determine how you can step up: