What great leaders do
- Know themselves and understand their staff
Great leaders know themselves and understand their staff. They know that leadership is not about them but about working with their team to maximise their potential.
They recognise everybody’s strengths and weaknesses in key roles. They surround themselves with the right people, who complement each other. They understand that a strong team working together is so much more dynamic and progressive than individuals working on their own.
Leaders understand personality differences and adapt accordingly when dealing with staff. People work in different ways due to their personalities and therefore great leaders can adjust the way they communicate and motivate different people.
They recognise the abilities and talents of individuals. This is critical when putting people in the right positions and teams within the organisation.
Great leaders will focus on individual strengths not weaknesses. They understand that fundamentally people cannot change who they are, so therefore do not waste a lot of energy trying.
- Get the right people on board
Great leaders know the importance of having the right people and also realise that potential, fit and attitude are more important when hiring than just experience and skill.
You can have the best person to do the job but if they are disruptive and negative then they can be poison in an organisation.
Great leaders do not always get it right when employing staff, but will not take long to make changes if they get it wrong. Leaders learn how to interview and assess potential employees. They know the importance of getting it right so will more often than not hire the right people by making the selection process robust and rigorous.
Great leaders put candidates to the test. They ask tough questions and ask for specifics and details about their past behaviour. They aren’t satisfied with general answers. They dig deep and reference check very carefully.
Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, was adamant it was critical that you get the right people on the bus. The best CEOs are those that hired highly competent people who over time don’t need to be managed.
- Articulate vision and purpose
Great leaders have clear vision and sense of direction. They communicate to all corners of the organisation no matter how big the organisation. Great leaders can articulate this vision with passion and enthusiasm so everybody gets on board and shares the excitement.
- Recognise that every role is important
Great leaders recognise that everybody makes a positive contribution to the success of the organisation.
Therefore, whether you are a senior executive or packing product in the warehouse everybody is important.
The key is that people throughout the organisation know and understand that what they do is valuable.
- Create clear outcomes for each role
Great leaders know that people want to understand clearly what role they play to the success of the organisation.
Dissatisfaction occurs when staff have unclear lines of authority and people don’t know what the outcome of their role is or that their role keeps changing. Outcomes for a role are more important than defining tasks. Staff need and want to know what the expectations of their role are and what standards they are expected to reach.
- Give staff the tools and support to do their job
There is nothing more frustrating for staff who want to do a great job, but are hampered by not having the support they need.
Great leaders ask the following question of staff:
“Are you able to do your job and what can I do to help?”
Great leaders are servants to their staff. They are generous with their time and offer assistance.
- Put faith in people
It’s amazing what people can achieve when you put faith in them.
Give staff clear outcomes and the support they need and then let them get on with it. Don’t tell them every step of the way what to do and how to do it. Give staff latitude to do a task and think for themselves about what is the best way to achieve the end result.
Great leaders know that there is no place for micro managers and control freaks in a progressive organisation.
- Engage Regularly and Positively
Managers talk, leaders listen then talk.
Great leaders will ask questions, listen and then talk. Leaders know they do not have all the answers and that the best way to resolve issues or work out most problems and find solutions is collectively. If staff have had an involvement in making important decisions then their commitment to achieving them will be that much greater.
Leaders know that the best way to communicate is face to face and not hide behind emails. Face to face cannot always happen so telephone is always next best. Managing by email is the worst form of communication and great leaders know that.
Good communication at all levels is critical to top leadership. It is not just about what we communicate but equally important how we communicate. Great leaders know there is no place for personal attacks. Words said or written the wrong way can destroy morale and positivity.
- Set high standards and expectations but also have some fun.
Great leaders set very high standards through their own actions and behaviour. They create the environment and the flavour for how they want staff to behave throughout the organisation and lead by example.
Great leaders know that they cannot expect high standards from staff if they don’t uphold them themselves. This may be as simple as not being late for meetings or returning messages within an acceptable time frame or adhering to health and safety codes.
Great leaders also know that you need to have fun, be open and honest with staff. Create the right culture and people will respond.
- Make the tough decisions and front up
Great leaders are prepared to stand out and make the tough decisions.
People respect people who are prepared to front up and deal with difficult situations even if they don’t agree with the outcome.
This has been particularly relevant over the past few years when things have been tough and businesses have made some hard decisions to adapt to the economic times.
It comes down to communication. Great leaders will listen, absorb different viewpoints and then make a decision and deliver it face to face. You will lose enormous respect if you shy away from tough decisions, delegate it and not do it in person.
- Are humble and know their staff
Being a leader doesn’t make you better than anybody else. Great leaders keep grounded and keep their humility. Any sign of arrogance or superiority is disliked intensely by staff.
Great leaders can communicate at all levels of the organisation. They are totally self – aware and understand that people throughout the organisation are different.
Great leaders will know their staff and what motivates them. Knowing small things about each staff member whether it be what their children do or like or what sport they play in their spare time can be hugely powerful. Leaders understand that if they focus positively on their staff they will get them to respond favourably.
- Coach, Encourage and Develop
Great leaders spend most of their time with staff who will take the business forward.
They will coach, encourage, praise and understand the enormous power that positive words can do to staff.
Coaching should be done at every opportunity whilst training is more formalised. Great leaders will spend most of their time with top staff and ensure they weed out those that don’t cut the mustard.
Praise must be genuine and if done properly is a very powerful motivator. It needs to be spontaneous, specific and sincere.
Jack Welch, former CEO of GE stated that his main job was developing talent.
“I was like a gardener providing water and other nourishments to over 750 people. Of course I had to pull a few weeds as well!”
Great Leadership 