12 Common Things That Great Leaders Do
By John Robert Tolhurst
1. Great leaders know themselves and know their staff Great leaders know their own strengths and weaknesses so surround themselves with a team who can complement them. They understand personality differences and know that in a team you need a mix to get a variety of viewpoints and angles to get to the best result. They will focus on individual strengths and understand that you cannot change fundamentally who people are. It is therefore important to have the right people in different positions. It is also important to change the way you communicate depending upon individual personalities and the way you motivate will be different. 2. Get the right people on board Great leaders know the importance of having the right people and also realise that fit, attitude and potential are more important when hiring than just skill. Leaders know how to interview and put candidates to the test. They realise the importance of getting it right so will make the selection process robust and rigorous. Jim Collins, author of Good to Great believed the best CEOs were those that hired highly competent people who over time don't need to be managed. 3. Articulate vision and purpose All great leaders have a very clear sense of direction and communicate that vision to every corner of the business, no matter how big. 4. Recognise that every role is important Great leaders recognise that everybody makes a positive contribution to the success of the organisation. The importance of this is that everybody, regardless of whether they are a senior executive or a warehouse worker, is valued. 5. Create clear outcomes for each role People want to understand clearly what role they play to the success of the organisation. Outcomes are more important than tasks and they shouldn't keep changing all the time. If you define tasks it minimises creativity. Good leaders will set a clear end result and let individuals develop the best way to get there with help and guidance along the way. 6. Give staff the tools and support to do their job Good leaders will ask the question " Are you able to do your job and what can I do to help" Leaders should be servants to their staff and be generous with time and assistance for those that want it. 7. Put faith in people It is amazing what people can achieve when you put faith in them. Don't tell people every step of the way how to do things. There is no place for control freaks in a progressive happy organisation. 8. Engage regularly and positively Managers talk, leaders listen then talk. Good communication at all levels is critical for great leadership. Never manage by email or send in anger. Involve staff in making decisions and you will get so much more buy in and commitment. Openness and honesty is always the best policy. 9. Set high expectations but also have fun Great leaders will behave how they want their staff to behave. Set and demand high standards of yourself and your team will follow. However you need balance and some fun along the way. 10. Make the tough decisions and front up Great leaders are prepared to stand up and make the tough decisions themselves. People respect people who are prepared to deal with difficult situations and not "pass the buck". If bad news needs to be delivered to staff don't delegate but do it yourself. 11. Are humble and know their staff Being a leader doesn't make you better than anybody else. Great leaders keep their humility. They are totally self-aware and will also know their staff well and what motivates them. They will take an interest in their staff and engage positively with them on a personal level. 12. Coach, Encourage and Develop Great leaders will spend a lot of time with staff who want to be developed and take the business forward. They will understand the enormous power of praise and encouraging words. As former CEO of General Electric, Jack Welsh, pointed out "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!" I am the author of an ebook " How to lead people and influence them". It is a great book for anybody in a leadership role as it provides practical tips from many leaders in business and sport, including Nick Mallett, one of world's most sort after rugby coaches. To view the sales page go to http://www.bigtolly.com
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