At the end of the day every business has a reason for its existence, a central purpose as to why it exists. In order for businesses to thrive they must achieve Results that align with that purpose. It is therefore incumbent that leaders be able to focus on achieving those results. How do we get there?
One thing that I have observed in business is that leaders are either good at the ‘tasks’ of the business, or they are good at the ‘people’ of the business. Just as many of us had a proclivity for math/science or English or Social Sciences in school, people seem to have a natural strength for tasks (analysis) or interacting and focusing on the people and ‘how’ the tasks get done. It’s not either or. Great leaders learn they must balance what they get done and when, with how they do it. The ‘process’ of business is important. If we don’t have a sense of where we want to go (vision (longer term) and goals (shorter term)), how we are going to get there (action plans), and what and how we will measure our success…well, then any road will get us there.
Likewise, being successful getting there requires people know and accept their role(s), and execute that role(s) at a high level. Effective engagement of staff and other leaders takes us back to our internal development (Character, Interpersonal Skills, and Personal Capability). Great leaders insure that those that work for them are clear about the goals, how they integrate at a department, division, organizational level, and with their clients. They insure that each person understands their role and what is expected from them and how that will be measured. They make sure the person is supported with any necessary training and resources. They make sure that they are coaching them frequently, providing their people the feedback and encouragement around what is going well; and feedback around what needs improved. They update the team as to key milestones along the way. Great leaders hold team members accountable.
They take time to indicate the special contributions of the members of their team. They connect those contributions with the team member’s goals for success, always helping them connect the behaviors that are helping their success, and those that aren’t. They do this at a team level as well.
Great leaders take ultimate responsibility for the results, and work with the team to determine where they (collectively and individually) can improve. Achieving or exceeding results requires a solid ‘process’ for business success, while insuring that the people carrying out that process are clear and engaged in making it happen. It is not either or, but both.
The final attribute that separates leaders is in Leading Organizational Change. Change is a constant for all of us. Whether it is at an individual level, department level, or organizational level, we are challenged constantly with change. What do we want to do with it? The ability to deal effectively with change is an earmark of great leaders. They are able to embrace change and champion it in a way that helps others to more effectively deal with change. Great leaders understand that leading change effectively is a combination of working at an individual level to provide ‘space’ to allow them room to transition to a position of acceptance, and working at a group level to connect the change with the business strategy (goals) at the departmental and organizational level.
In Part I we talked about how great leaders create influence as a by-product of relationship with their people. At the heart of that influence is trust, and trust is a key component when we’re talking about dealing with change. We also talked about being a good communicator (clear, concise). These attributes are critical in times of change when emotions can run high and opportunities for misunderstanding frequent.
There is an attribute that we haven’t talked about. It may be the most important. It is the willingness, dedication, and discipline to develop you. It begins with how ‘awake and aware’ you are, why you’re here, and who you are becoming; how are you ‘showing up,’ or living into that purpose every hour of every day. (If you want some excellent reading on the subject, read my colleague and friend, Richard W. Smith and his Searcher-Seeker blog. He writes frequently on being ‘awake and aware.’) In my experience, seeking feedback from others is a critical component to maintaining and improving our awareness of who we are in the world. Be open to what you hear and diligent about making the important changes.
Build your capacity as a leader. As you can see, the key attributes work in concert and in tandem. Building your ‘attribute capacity’ will translate into greater leadership capacity – better decisions, better relations, better able to respond appropriately when faced with a multitude of challenges, and, perhaps most important, an increased capacity to experience a joy-filled life.