“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.”
~ Ronald Reagan.
Business leaders have their own insights and experiences regarding the approach required for great leadership roles. Every workplace situation needs a different kind of leadership development, followed by succession planning and support.
Some leaders inspire their people to maintain work-life balance while others simply delegate copiously or focus on improving employee experience. Dan Rust, Head of Leadership and Organizational Development, Infopro Learning, talks about the opportunities of meeting exceptional leaders from varied backgrounds and cultures but share ONE thing – one focus and one trait. Here is an excerpt from the video – Great leadership | The ONE Thing:
Great Leadership – Cracking the Code
“As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.”
~ Bill Gates.
Motivating people to do the right things should not come with an authority. Great leaders encourage professional development by inspiring people and showing them how to achieve their goals and contribute towards business success. Do you know the secret sauce to becoming excellent future leader? Key components to embrace great leadership and unlock success are as follows-
• Communication
In the current scenario where most organizations have adopted remote-first culture, the scope of using effective communication channels is also rising. Connecting good leaders with their teams has become a strong keystone for developing effective leadership development programs and unlocking business success. To keep high potentials engaged and motivated, business leaders need to foster an effective line of communication.
• Connection
A strong connection leads to better communication, building a team of people who are productive and connected. The emotional assets within a company ascertain whether people will connect with the leaders, listen to them, and work with them. When leaders emotionally connect with the teams, they create a culture of trust and engagement which helps boost overall productivity.
• Collaboration
Collaborative leadership is the third most important component to bring managers and their team members on the same page. This avoids ‘working in a silo’ culture and encourages a culture that drives innovation, improves collaboration, and fosters a productive and engaging work environment.
Leadership Development – Then and Now
How was it then?
Around twenty years ago, the sign of great leaders was their despotic leadership styles to run successful business. Leaders had full control over their human resource in making decisions on what needs to be done and how to get that done. The focus was to hone hard skills, showcase leadership potential and adopt a more task-oriented approach to get the things done.
How is it now?
Today, the world is driven by technological disruption and with this change, business leaders need to be accustomed and adaptable to changing real-time workplace environments. Leadership has evolved from a dictatorial style to a more collaborative strategy, encouraging teamwork, driving productivity, and fostering innovation at work.
Many organizations, today, have created ample opportunities for leadership development for everyone. From CEOs and managers to executives and associates, everyone needs to have good leadership skills and speak common language to attain expected results. This prepares employees to attain future leadership qualities and ready to lead management roles, whenever required.
Focus of Great Leaders in Today’s Environment
The new-age workforce does not want to be controlled but simply managed by their leader. They want to engage and contribute in every way possible to achieve the best possible results for their organization. Great leaders must focus on the following aspects, inspiring everyone to achieve success and take business to the next level:
• Empowering their People
Great leaders focus on empowering their people by recognizing their strengths and overall participation. They first identify individual strengths and then ask people to come forward and contribute to their areas of interest. This helps empower employees and boost their confidence in taking the responsibility to complete the tasks.
• Taking Care of the Company Culture
Culture is not just how people do things but how everyone feel about each other in the company. This begins with great leadership and the responsibilities towards taking the employees one-step forward. Great leaders take care of the culture by focusing on employee motivation as well as measuring workforce productivity to ensure organizational success.
• Providing Equal Opportunities
Today, businesses cultivate ample opportunities to create an inclusive work environment. A significant part of adopting this approach is to ensure that leadership provides equal opportunities for everyone irrespective of their cultures, languages, and backgrounds.
Results of Great Leadership Development
Great leaders leave a strong impact on business outcomes including productivity, performance, revenue, and so on. To achieve improved results with a great leadership, organizations must focus on the key areas-
- Conducting frequent meetings to collaborate with different teams
- Embracing a continuous learning culture, encouraging everyone to contribute towards attaining business success
- Communicating business goals to each person and setting clear expectations from everyone
- Embracing a positive culture where everyone remains loyal, feel engaged, and stay productive
Great leadership influences engagement and boosts employee confidence, resulting in improved collaboration, better workplace culture, and higher business efficiency.
To watch the full video, click Great Leadership | The ONE Thing.
