Leadership Fundamentals
By Professor
As the pressure on leaders increases, so does the need for understanding the roles and responsibilities that come with the job. Each top leadership position has different areas of responsibility, all of which must function together to keep the organization up-and-running.
Most high-level leaders will be aware of the five big tools of leadership: the mission, the structure, the processes, the culture, and the communications. And with effective leadership, what comes out the other end is the results: economic and social wealth. This is nothing new. The important thing to ensure is that all these areas are well-designed, well-managed and in synchrony. This is the role of the leader.
So what is the mission within a company? The mission is what a leader uses to get people involved in the project, whether the project will run for six months or six years.
But how do you devise the structure necessary to achieve the mission? An important point in our research is that, for a company to thrive, to beat its competitors, it must solve problems in its internal organization better than other companies can solve their internal challenges. Designing and managing a structure is therefore very much the work of the executives themselves and not that of external consultants.
Five basics of effective leadership
So what are the important capabilities, the key skills of leaders in business, if they are to develop this structure? There are five key areas:
Number one is the capacity for influence, of individuals and groups. While leaders certainly have to influence individuals towards higher performance, often they do so in teams. It is usually about mutual influence � one of the basics of teamwork. Can you get people who possibly do not like one another excited about working together? If not, work on this capability. People are looking to you to bring the team together, and you must be the source behind creating the excitement of team accomplishment.
Second, there is the issue of culture. How do you treat your people? Are they compensated in the right ways? Do
Third, you have to get your immediate team organized, and to manage its collaboration with other units in the overall company structure; get to know the organization inside and out; get involved and inside the minds of your colleagues in other functions and business areas. You need to understand the pressures and responsibilities under which people elsewhere in the firm are working, and pass on this understanding, and the need of such understanding, to your own team.
Fourth, is how to maintain quality, in processes and outcomes, in your areas of responsibility. This is, of course, a process challenge, often under direct supervision of your subordinates. But it is one over which you have to keep control. You are, after all, the person with the final responsibility.
Finally, the whole unit or enterprise must be in alignment and synchrony. This is where you need to implement effective information systems and communication processes.
Remember that leadership is about delivering results today and every day. You have achieved your position through hard work and, if anything, it gets harder as time goes by. You have a responsibility to the company, your teams and, perhaps most importantly, to your own ambitions. Deliver!
This delivery is not a static process, however. Always be on the lookout for ways to improve the quality of everything you touch; your communications, your teamwork, and the surrounding processes for which you are responsible.
Once you have mastered these five basics and you are truly on top of your game and delivering results, the fun part of the job is there to enjoy and exploit. This opens the way to the top levels of contribution to the firm. You have earned your position to contribute to strategic debates and the strategic decisions necessary for shaping your company's future.
Victor
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