Hi!
Whilst I'm certainly no expert and not trying to be some know-it-all here, this was some thing of a cheat sheet I created for up and coming leaders, as part of a development plan to serve as a bit of guidance.
They are a few tried, tested and proven successful items that have worked in mostly all situations and industries, via not only myself but with a few of the leaders I've worked with and developed through the years. You'll probably know and use some (or all) of them already.
If you do see any value, please pass these on to anyone who might be working through any leadership development.
Before getting into the list, the below statement is something I suggest you grab hold of and try to keep to. It will help guide your team through your own actions, and as a prod to yourself.
"EVERYDAY HAS TO BE BETTER THAN AVERAGE"
Whilst it doesn't sound all that inspirational, its enough of a statement to keep you trying, to keep you reaching for something better. Try it, see how it goes for you.
Now the list;
- Have a clear plan on what success looks like for you as a person
- Be passionate / positive – your state of mind will affect your teams state of mind and action
- Be the calm in the eye of any storm – teams need surety and stability to operate effectively during a crisis
- Execute – get stuff done. Finish lines are important.
- Be a constant learner
- The little things for your team mates "DO" matter, often even when they say they don't.
- Create confidence as a leader with your employees
- Be proactive through thought, awareness and action
- Actively collaborate – ensure you involve everyone
- Keep a solid positive connection
- Be transparent where possible – build trust
- Empathy is a genuine super power. It enables the ability to see things "brewing" before they become negative. Empathy also allows you to better connect with your people, vital for when [insert bad word here] hits the fan, and just as important when things are going great
- Don't dismiss your gut instincts – if nothing else, they should be a call for you to be more curious of whatever triggered them.
- Be a clear communicator – what, why, how, when. Especially when dealing with the next point.
- Be good at change management. It is all about ensuring there are no real surprises that frighten, concern or start people making up their own ideas. Lead people in the direction you need to them to be open minded about, or perk their curiosity weeks in advance of any changes you are looking to implement. That way, when the change eventually has to be introduced, it is accepted a lot easier.
- Set strategic goals for yourself and those who report to you – ensure alignment to greater dept. and business goals. Utilise and teach ground level, 2,000 ft., 5,000 ft., 10,000 ft. and 30,000 ft. approaches/thinking to see and deal with potential disruptors and opportunities for success / profit
- Understand how everything "fits" together from dept. to wider business. Where does your business start, what transitions through it (both in and out) and where it finishes
- In relation to point 13, also know where YOU fit in the business, what is the role you play, what can you bring to the team you run, to the depot you work in, to the business as a whole and write them down. This can serve as a reminder on your journey.
- Be curious at all times. Ask all the questions. Better to ask the question, than hide you don't know and end up getting caught out.
- Understand who the key stakeholders of your dept. and business actually are. Meet them.
- Honesty and integrity are a leaders greatest assets. Make these your greatest traits. Instill them in others when teaching / mentoring
- Know you don't have to know everything. A good leader can coach, guide and empower and improve a team's outputs, emotional state, all without being able to do the actual role their team does. Understand how it all works, and ensure you have key people who do the actual work, so they can explain to you any challenges that may affect the team etc that you then address where applicable. This is key to empowering your team. They become the expert in their role.
- Be authentic – it is better to be yourself than pretend to be someone you are not. You can adapt and learn and change, but YOU stays the same. Understand who YOU are.
- Ikigai [google it] and WHY journeys are important
- Understand what the business expects of you and those you lead. When unsure, ask. When no guidance, refer to points 1, 9, 10 and 12
- Treat all people with respect, from the CEO to the cleaner of the toilets. Everyone has a story, everyone has dreams, and everyone has opinions and suggestions. You only have to ask them and be curious. Some of the greatest cost savings and innovations for businesses have come from the lowest ranked person in organisations.
- Develop strong people systems
- Develop and clarify strong process systems
- Be innovative. Drive innovation from within your teams.
- Do what you say you're going to do.
- Frustration and anger are not tools of an effective leader – teams need consistency in emotional content and throughout business
- In conjunction with point 21, it is important to be seen as human. Wherever possible, humanise yourself. Share about your personal life, tell people about your story, be okay with showing vulnerability – these are the things that will endear you to your team, create trusting bonds and long lasting solid professional relationships
So there are a few solid ones to begin with. Please add in your own ones and share in the comments section below. I know there are a few of you who read these and it would be good to get some of these things shared around.
In the meantime, have a great day and a great journey :)
Darren
