Leading is super easy. You are given the title, the authority, the budget, the power and then you just tell people what they need to do. How hard can that be? As we know, leading is a snap, but getting others to follow you is the tricky bit. Our awesome power will certainly bludgeon compliance. Sadly, the troops turn off their commitment and engagement switch whenever they come into contact with kryptonite bosses. We get promoted because we personally did a rather good job on our individual tasks. That is a false flag though when it comes to being able to communicate, coach, set the direction and inspire others. Few great athletes become great coaches. It is a totally different skill set.
There are four broad areas we will focus on to help us become successful leaders: Being Self-Aware, Accountable, Others-Focused and Strategic. The possibilities are endless, but these four areas will serve us well to elevate our thinking about what is required to be a great leader.
Under the umbrella of Self-Awareness we have four focus areas.
Self-Directed
There is a mental and physical requirement for leadership, driven by a strong desire to be successful. We explore inside ourselves to understand what we need to do and why we need to do it. Someone who can only function on the basis of the advice of others is a follower not a leader. Of course, taking advice is good, but leaders have their own sense of True North and keep moving forward, charting their own course
Self-Regulated
Being a self-regulator requires supreme discipline. Knowing what not to do is as important as making action step choices. Shiny objects abound, multiplying like amoeba, but time, money and resources are limited. Be it business focus or our temper, we need to rein them both in and assert control.
Develops Self
Constant application of self-improvement sounds obvious, but many leaders are cruising. The more diligent may be doing a good job working in the business, but they are too busy to be working on the business. Is that you? Technology, society, company culture and organisational development overtake some leaders and ultimately they are ejected from the firm. Where is the locus of self-development to be found? Good question and there are multiple options. Good choices will have a lasting impact on our longevity as leaders.
Confident
“We don’t know what we don’t know” is a big problem. Before you become a leader there is that misplaced confidence that you know what to do in the role. As you rise through the ranks, you keep making new discoveries. The more you learn, the less you find you really know. Imposter syndrome is a big factor here after we step up into new responsibilities. Constant self-development is the cure for this, as we grow into the job.
Accountability covers four sub-topics.
Competent
This is often mistaken for technical knowledge or business content cover. That capability within your old job is what thrust you into a leadership role. What about your competency as the leader? What do you really know about leading? How persuasive are you? How well do you understand the aspirations of the team? Can you coach others who are just not like you? Can you set the correct course in a raging sea? This requires study and doesn’t happen by osmosis.
Honest and Having Integrity
Are you honest? Would your people agree? Seeing people as cogs in the machine elevating your brilliant career, jousting with rivals for the next job using the team resources for that purpose and being all about me, me, me is often the leader reality. Think about some of your bosses up to this point. The crust on top of this reality is a false veneer disguising what is really going on. Subterranean self-interest is often voiced over with pious pronouncements. Being honest is about sincerely wanting to develop the team members and integrity is what you do or think when no one is observing you.
Manages Progress Towards Goals
Obvious. Yet are the goals clear to your team? Is there an intelligent plan? Are people engaged and bought in? Are you the pirate captain simply bellowing out orders and threatening the crew with the plank?
Makes Effective Decisions
When do you know a decision was effective? Certainly never at the time of making it. In that moment, we are working on hope rather than certainty. Are the team convinced of the wisdom of the decision? Was there any input opportunity for them? Does our power of personality or position power just crush access to the diversity of opinions available? When it isn’t working, are we trapped by pride, ego and arrogance to keep running faster off the cliff?
In Part Two, we will investigate being Others Focused and Strategy for Leaders.
