Effective Leadership

It can be agreed by almost all that without leadership of some sort there would be no functioning nations, organisations, businesses, communities, schools, families and sadly, even criminal gangs. Leaders are the individuals who help take us from point A to point B and guide the order, structure & functionality of any given thing. They bring clarity & direction to a vision, dream or an idea and without them there would arguably be more chaos than already exists in our current world.

However, we can also agree that not everyone who is sat in a position of leadership is necessarily doing a job that inspires praise, respect and admiration from the people they are leading. Without possessing certain undeniable distinct qualities, characteristics and traits especially in the business world it is possible to find that a particular people, place or thing were actually and in fact better off before your leadership came along. Being in a position does not automatically mean you will do well there - putting in the work to evolve, grow and develop yourself is what makes you a good leader.

So what makes a good leader? In the words of John Maxwell a leader is one who: “knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.” When I think of this statement, 3 distinct traits come to mind that I believe are best encapsulated by this quote.

INTEGRITY:

Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. It is the only way that will enable you to build trust with and among the people you are leading. When your team members can trust you, they naturally give you their loyalty & in turn carry your vision just as much as you do in order to meet any set targets and goals. Nobody has ever been willing to ease or help carry a burdern for a crook. Nobody enjoys supporting someone who goes after what they want at the expense of truth & morality or someone who cuts corners and lives a double life. In business it all matters. Be a leader of integrity - one who always chooses what’s right even in the face of what is more convenient.

COMMUNICATION:

A leader with good communication skills is one who has the ability to impart or exchange information appropriately to the receiving party. This includes speaking, listening, writing & non-verbal communication such as gestures, expressions & silences. If I shout or scream commands at you, while you may understand what I have said - my disrespectful and aggressive tone will likely affect the posture in which you complete the instructions and the end results that are produced. It is not just about getting your message across - the why, the how and the when are all just as important. Just becase you can say something a certain way - doesn’t mean that you should. If I repeatedly take calls or show I am distracted while you relay information to me - I will not hear what you have said. Without good communication too many things are left to personal interpretation which in turn breeds chaos and confusion.

COURAGE:

Lastly, courage is the ability to do something that frightens one; bravery. As a leader, no matter how excellent and productive your team is - more often than not the vision is primarily left to you. You are the one who decides if you go left or right and often this involves treading in unchartered territory surrounded by a lot of uncertainty and sometimes risks. Courage is what helps you remain standing in the face of the unknown. It is also a powerful trait that will inspire your team to remain focused and resolute. Your team feed off your energy more than you know & they also trust your instincts and so seeing your courage firsthand is a pivotal part of ensuring that your team stays driven & as productive as possible.

Don’t just be a leader - be an effective one!

Thank you for reading.

See you in the next article

-Prieska