Do you lead your business - or do you just manage it? Find out how to make the transition from telling your employees what to do to inspiring them to do it themselves.
Some say leaders are born; that the ability to inspire others to follow is innate. But what are the qualities of a good leader and what can they teach us?
It’s a vision thing
Let’s be clear – leading is different from managing. Leaders have a vision of what the company could be – its ethos, brand image and place in the market; they set the direction, steer a course and inspire others to share the belief. Managers help realise the vision, directing staff and operations; they measure and control resources as well as establishing plans, rules and timescales. Of course, managers encourage and motivate too, and some people can both manage and lead.
What makes a good leader?
Leadership styles differ and are subject to what’s in vogue, from the outmoded command-and-control approach to the currently popular consensus. Whatever the style, good leaders are confident and assertive yet have the flexibility to bring different qualities to bear, depending on circumstances: single-mindedness, understanding, openness, shrewd negotiation.
Good leaders are usually good coaches too, offering advice, positive criticism and encouragement. People will go the extra mile for those they respect, and successful leaders command respect because they’re prepared to share the burden or ‘get their hands dirty’ – shirkers never make good leaders.
The best leaders have integrity and tolerance and can accommodate different opinions. They’re generally leading a team of strong personalities so they’ll need to manage people in a positive way yet also stand apart when necessary; they can bring resolution and have the ability to move on. Good leaders welcome change, thrive on challenges and encourage people to speak their minds.
Successful leaders communicate well with a broad spectrum of people. The Center for Creative Leadership in the US says that ‘relationship building’ and ‘collaboration’ – both of which require excellent people skills – were cited in a recent survey as being crucial for business success today.
As far back as the 1980s, management guru Tom Peters described relationship building as ‘management by walking around’ and urged leaders to drop in on staff across the business, and to visit customers on the hoof to see if they had issues or concerns – far better than sending out a satisfaction survey; staff and customers appreciate your commitment and visibility.
Things to avoid
Office politics is a big threat to successful leadership, says The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Pointing out that leaders don’t operate in isolation, Vanessa Robinson, organisation and resourcing adviser at CIPD, says, ‘Leaders should encourage frequent, consistent and clear communications to eliminate any ambiguity, uncertainty and politics. Otherwise senior teams risk being driven by disagreement and shifting alliances, and operating in a way which rewards political manipulation.’
Also, avoid indecisiveness, see things through, don’t blame others, and remember that getting support is not about making people like you — it’s about building relationships based on mutual respect.
6 tips on successful leadership
• Lead by example – garner respect by ‘walking the walk’.
• Communicate clearly what you want to achieve and ensure staff know what’s expected of them – just because you understand doesn’t mean they will.
• Be prepared to take risks and make mistakes. Don’t be ashamed of being wrong; learn from the experience.
• It’s a cliché, but ‘blow your own trumpet’ – no one will do it for you, so build relationships everywhere and get noticed.
• Have high ‘emotional’ intelligence. Listen to your staff and find out what motivates them.
• Be passionate. Excitement and energy is infectious and inspirational.
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