Every leader needs a following! Good leaders are supported because people trust and respect them, not simply for the skills they possess. Leadership is about behaviour first and skills second.
You manage things…but people must be lead.
Leadership relies of management skills but far more on qualities like integrity, vision, courage, commitment, passion, enthusiasm, innovation, determination and sensitivity.
Use these Tip 5 Tips to develop your leadership and C.O.U.R.A.G.E
1. Manager to Leader
Not all managers are leaders. But being a great leader starts with being a great manager.
Leadership gets you from 0-1. Then good management gets you from 2-10.
Managers focus on DOING:-
– Implementing
– Tactical
– Detail
– Shorter-term
– Hands –on
– Directing
– Task-focus
– Doing things right
Leaders focus on ENABLING
– Planning
– Strategic
– Big picture
– Inspiring
– People focus
– Doing things right
As a leader your role if to create a compelling vision that your people want to be part of. You need to decide ‘which wall you lean your ladder against’. Involve your people where appropriate in how you will achieve your goals.
2. Letting go
Consider the balance between the level of freedom that you choose to give your team and the level of authority used by yourself. As your teams freedom is increased, so your use of authority decreases.
This is a positive way for both teams and managers to develop.
As a manager and leader, one of your key responsibilities is to develop your people. You should delegate and ask your team to make its own decisions to varying degrees, depending on their abilities.
The 6 levels of delegated freedom:-
1. Leader ANNOUNCES their decision
2. Leader SELLS their decision to the team
3. Leader SUGGESTS a provisional decision…and invites discussion about it
4. Leader PRESENTS the situation, gets suggestions… then decides
5. Leader EXPLAINS situation, defines the parameters…then asks the team to decide
6. Leader ALLOWS team to identify the problem, develop options and decide on action.
It’s extremely important to remember that irrespective of the amount of authority, responsibility and freedom you delegate to your team, YOU retain full accountability for any problems that may result.
YOU are ultimately responsible for judging the seriousness of any given situation – including the risks entailed – and the level of freedom that can safely be granted to the team to deal with it.
3. Confidence
Confidence is essential. People will rapidly sense whether you have it or not. So building self-confidence is always the starting point in becoming a leader. But never let it become over-confidence, the first station on the track leading to arrogance!
– How would you rate your confidence (1-10)?
– How do others rate you?
– Which aspects of your role do you feel most confident about?
– Which aspects do you need to build more confidence in?
– Where might you be in danger of being over confident or complacent?
4. Opportunities
Leaders create opportunities for both themselves and others and are quick to grasp new opportunities as they arise. They are proactive and recognise there’s a big difference between doing things right (efficiency) and doing the right things (effectiveness).
– What was the last opportunity you created for yourself or one of your people?
– Who should you be talking to or listening to, to seek out new opportunities?
– How could you be more proactive in creating new opportunities for yourself or others?
5. Respect
Leaders work hard to earn (not demand) the respect of their people. They treat individuals differently but equally. They do not have favourites. They are impartial in giving rewards and penalties for performance and realise that being liked does not necessarily mean being respected.
– What specific actions have you take to earn the respect of your people?
– Do you prefer to be popular and liked or respected for what you do?
– How do you display your respect for your people on a daily basis?
Want to read the rest of the Top Tips Leadership and C.O.U.R.A.G.E?
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