It starts with you and it is because of you that you will lead a great team.
Trust, confidence and respect of leaders in large organisations has almost disappeared over the last few years. There is a feeling of distrust, fear and uncertainty running through organisations.
So it is up to you as a leader to change this in your team, in your organisation and in your life.
There’s no such thing as the ‘perfect leader’. There is no blueprint to perfection. You must aim to operate at your best. There is no room for failure now.
The only way you will achieve great results is by having a brilliant team around you and the only way you will achieve that is by strengthening and developing yourself.
To re-establish the trust, respect and confidence a leader needs to take a long, deep, hard look at themselves first. The first critical step is to implement a leadership 360 to find out what the team/peers/manager/stakeholders/customers think of the leadership style.
Studies have found that leaders who exhibit more positive emotion and behaviour are more likely to be rated as demonstrating transformational leadership behaviours, including inspiring others and demonstrating more consideration and empathy for followers
Barsade & Gibson 2007
- How self-aware are they?
- What is their level of self confidence?
- How well do they self-manage?
- What is their level of self control?
- What is their level of influence?
- How well do they motivate and inspire you?
- How great are they at developing strong working relationships?
Great leaders are brave and courageous. They ask for feedback – listen to it and act on it.
Every leader should start by being very honest with themselves. Ask yourself:
- What are your key strengths?
- What are you excellent at?
- What are your development areas?
- What makes you unique?
Great leaders don’t try and be ‘someone’ else – they are very confident with themselves.
They know their strengths and they use their strengths. They know what they are good at and they use those skills to create their success.
They know that when they use their strengths their ways of thinking are better, their positive emotions are heightened, they are energised and their performance is exceptional.
Many organisations are now taking a ‘strengths’ approach. You can be ahead of the game by using your strengths to be a transforming leader.
There is compelling evidence that demonstrates that a strengths focus delivers huge business advantages and delivers measurable business returns.
"Studies have found that leaders who exhibit more positive emotion and behaviour are more likely to be rated as demonstrating transformational leadership behaviours, including inspiring others and demonstrating more consideration and empathy for followers. Leaders’ expressions of positive emotions have been found to arouse positive emotions in others; followers tend to emulate their leaders’ positive energy and enthusiasm. Similarly leaders’ displays of negative emotion can cause followers to feel and display negative emotions, undermining morale and motivation."
Source: Barsade & Gibson 2007
What is your number one strength, the one thing that you know you can always rely on. The one thing that you know has made you successful.
One of the most vital elements to establish, respect and credibility is to become clear on your core purpose as a leader. What do you want your legacy to be? How do you want to be remembered?
One way to do this is to take yourself off somewhere quiet, somewhere where you have the time to think this through and deeply. Get a clear and succinct core purpose.
Every great leader will know their purpose and they will have a clear vision and strategy on how to get there. They hold themselves accountable and responsible. They seek results and feedback.
Critically, great leaders also stop and think about what they are not good at. They are open about what their ‘gaps’ are and what they need to develop.
They know there are some things they can change and some things they cannot. They don’t waste time trying to change something that is ‘innate’ and would stop them using their unique strengths.
