Leadership

What is leadership? Each of us believe we have a good idea about what it means to be a good leader, but when it comes to defining the concept, the picture is not so clear. For some, leadership is motivation, for others, it equals results, for others it is inspiration.

We can define leadership based on common elements that we all agree on. Here are several key components of effective leadership.

1. Vision

Leading means having a clear vision and effectively sharing it with others. Only when you get to inspire others, is it possible to share a common goal towards directing the efforts and dedication of the entire team. What is your vision, the company’s vision, and does everyone in the company know the vision and their role?

2. Motivation

The leader knows how to motivate better than anyone else; it is one of their main functions as people managers. Through motivation, the leader channels the energy and professional potential of their coworkers, in order to achieve individual and corporate objectives. Do your managers know how to effectively motivate employees within their area?

3. Service

The leader is at the service of the team, and not the other way around. Group members must have and feel the support of their leader; the tools needed to do their jobs properly must be available to them; they must have recognition for their efforts; and they need to know that there is a person paying attention in order to correct bad habits, re-align deviation from the desired path, and hone skills. That is all part of a leadership which serves the team, and not the opposite. This is a difficult concept for some to grasp and Tim knows how to get them to begin thinking as a servant leader of the team.

4. Empathy

One of the basic qualities of any leader seeking success is precisely emotional intelligence - that ability, often innate, that makes leaders put themselves in the place of others, understand their concerns, and solve problems. Leaders know the secrets of their businesses and therefore can empathize with customers and members of their teams: that empathy gets to inspire and establish links that will ultimately lead to success. Do your managers and supervisors display sincere professional empathy? An analysis conducted by Mr. Neville and his team will provide insight into this area.

5. Creativity

A component of leadership also includes creativity. Good leaders are able to create an environment that will encourage all the members of their team to develop their skills and imagination, so that they can contribute to the common project and vision of the company. If you want to lead successfully, respect the creativity of others and learn from the people around you; their ideas will surely prove to be positive for you. Tim and his team have fun, interactive ways to get managers and employees thinking creatively. And the results will be amazing!

6. Thoroughness

Good leaders set the bar high for their people, because they want to reach the goals and make the best of their teams. Only a competent leader will achieve great results. In addition to this thoroughness, the leader must know how to listen, in order to know the needs of the people, and then provide the necessary time and resources for them to do their job properly, and therefore meet what is demanded of them. Listening is a necessary skill for a leader, you will learn a number of tips and techniques to ensure you are hearing what is being said by others.

7. Managing

Leaders must be at the forefront to lead and guide their team throughout the whole process until the goal is reached. But besides being that “torchbearer”, leaders also know when to step back and make their team take the initiative. In this way, the team gets the chance to develop, both personally and professionally. Pure management focuses on the tasks, real leadership focuses on the people. One of Tim’s values as a proven leader is he allows his employees and teams to make mistakes, learn from them, and add that experience to their leadership basket.

8. Team building

True leadership is about working in a team to reach a common goal. People management is one of the most difficult tasks faced by leaders. Thanks to the positive attitude, essential in good leaders, and the trust in their workmates, people get better results. Team-aware leaders take responsibility when something is wrong, and acknowledge and reward the group after a job well done. How often do you conduct team building exercises and activities? Your team needs to be reminded they are a part of the team and know the role they play.

9. Taking risks and championing change

When it comes to change, there is nothing so certain than the fact that things change in the workplace whether it’s a change of direction for the business, the need to downsize, new technology, or a new chief executive.

The leader is the one responsible for taking the risks and championing change. When it comes to taking risks, leaders should be confident enough to make a decision, and if they make a mistake, the leader must have the courage to rectify, assume responsibility and take the right path, without blaming it on the team. Good leaders know how to get ahead of their time, they see opportunities where others cannot and know how to spread the enthusiasm for their vision to make it real.

Change brings stress and uncertainty and there are those within the workplace who will find it overwhelming, and those who will embrace it and be excited by it.  It can be really difficult as a leader to know how to help those who struggle with the challenge of change and even more difficult to change attitudes; people make their own judgments about the value of change and decide whether they see it as a positive or negative thing. People naturally look for ‘what’s in it for me’; an effective change champion can translate the outcomes of the change.

What can help a leader is to identify those individuals who have taken a positive perception of the change, to harness their motivation and positive energy and use it to try and help bring along those who feel more negative.  The closer the leader or change champion is to the key stakeholders in the change, the greater the chances of success.

Here are several key components for taking risks and championing change effectively:

• Listen with a willingness to new ideas and feedback
• Interact across the organization and make connections between others

• Focus on solutions. Leaders know how the organization works and understand its culture, challenges and strengths.  They are also ‘tuned in’ to the mood of different areas of the organization and able to provide clarification about the change where there is misunderstanding or identify when and where communication is needed.

• Not be afraid to take reasonable risks. A strong change champion recognizes that one can learn from things that do not go well and then build on this learning.

A change champion can make a key impact on the outcomes of a change management program but it is not enough to just nominate change champions and then expect them to get on with it.  To play their role well, they need to be managed, developed and supported, as a team of champions, and be given the opportunity to resolve issues through an action learning approach.

Tim has the experience to help you as an executive officer with your team to create a strong strategy that can then be delivered to your senior managers for further implementation throughout the organization.

Contact TNB today!

10. Communications

Communication is a core leadership function. Effective communication and effective leadership are closely intertwined. Leaders need to be skilled communicators in countless relationships at the organizational level, in communities and groups, and sometimes on a global scale.

Leaders need to think with clarity, express ideas, and share information with a multitude of audiences. You must learn to handle the rapid flows of information within the organization, and among customers, partners, and other stakeholders and influencers.

• Authenticity counts. Be honest and sincere. Find your own voice; quit using corporate-speak or sounding like someone you are not. Let who you are, where you come from, and what you value come through in your communications. People want real. People respect real. People follow real. Don’t disguise who you are. People will never willingly follow a phony.
• Visibility is a form of communication. If you want to communicate well, do not be out of sight. Do not be known only by your emails and official presences. Show up in person as often as possible. People need to see and feel who you are, to feel connected to the work you want them to do. Find ways to interact with all of your stakeholder groups.
• Listening is a powerful skill. Good communicators are also good listeners. When you listen well, you gain a clear understanding of another’s perspective and knowledge. Listening fosters trust, respect, and openness. Allow people to air their issues and complaints. Ask questions that open the door to what people really think and feel. And pay close, respectful attention to what is said — and what’s left unsaid. Follow the rule of listening 80% of the time and speaking 20%.
• Use stories. When you tell a good story, you give life to a vision, goal, or objective. Telling good stories creates trust, captures hearts and minds, and serves as a reminder of the vision. Plus, people find it easier to repeat a story or refer to an image or quote than to talk about a vision statement, strategy document, or project plan.
• Back it up. If people hear one thing from you and see another, your credibility is shot. People need to trust you. Your behavior and actions communicate a world of information — be clear on the messages your body is sending when you are not speaking a word.

11. Perspective and critical thinking

Can those in your company or organization think critically? Do they have the appropriate perspectives and examples to sell an idea? Do you as executives know if your managers can create such an environment?

Let us begin with defining both perspective and critical thinking and then explore the value of a combination of both.

Perspective is a mental view,

the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance,

to compare something with a similar thing to give a clearer, more accurate idea. Perspective in business allows for comprehensive vision, clarity of purpose, and a balanced approach to problems, challenges, and solutions.

Critical thinking is the objective analysis of facts to form an unbiased, informed judgment. The subject is complex, and several different definitions exist, which generally include the rational, skeptical, unbiased analysis, or evaluation of factual evidence. Critical thinking is self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It presupposes assent to rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use. It entails effective communication and problem-solving abilities.

Now let us explore the benefits of having a combination of both of these skills.

• Ability to recognize problems
• Understand the importance of prioritization and order
• Recognize unstated assumptions and values
• Comprehend and use language with accuracy, clarity, and discernment to tell a similar story to gain accurate perspective
• Render accurate judgments about specific situations, issues, or problems

TNB can help assess if there is an environment of perspective and critical thinking in your company or organization. Let us manage an analysis and provide you with the outcome, solutions, and implementation plans. You will see a marked improvement in achieving company goals, does that not sound like an approach you would find of interest.

Contact us today to discuss how TNB can foster perspective and critical thinking in your company or organization.

12. Learning and Improving

True leadership seeks continuous improvement. Leaders have the ability to turn the people in their teams into stars, people who have improved and developed their skills through the influence of their leader.

In short, the definition of leadership has nothing to do with the hierarchy or position of anyone in the company; it has nothing to do with imposing views but with listening to those who know. Leadership is the attitude assumed by those looking for something different, who are committed to achieving a goal and whose conviction they manage to transmit to others through enthusiasm and optimism to reach a common goal.

There are many books on leadership, but having someone designing the strategic visioning for your company with the necessary skills, that is when results happen. Tim Neville is that strategic visionary. He has been a leader for many years and has amassed proven results.

Tim can help you and your team work toward becoming effective leaders.

Please contact TNB today!