How to be a good leader
If you surf the net, visit a bookshop or browse the learning CDs and videos in your local library, you should find plenty of information on the subject of leadership.
Yet, according to a recent MORI poll in the USA, the top reason given by employees for job dissatisfaction was "My boss is a jerk!". And, according to Gallup, "People leave people, not companies".
So, it makes sense to create leaders at all levels throughout the company. The best leaders are also good managers, who can balance both leadership and management skills.
Let's look at how leaders and managers differ:
Managers:
drive people
depend on authority
inspire fear
say "I"
know how things are done
find reasons for the problem
say "go"
Leaders:
coach people
depend on goodwill
inspire enthusiasm
say "we"
show how things are done
fix the problem
say "let's go"
A good leader needs to be able to do all of these things and know which approach is the most suitable.
So what qualities do employees look for in their leaders? According to the Harvard Business Review, the top five traits are:
support
positivity
respect
interpersonal dynamics
the ability to build good teams and talk with them.
Fifty years ago, American psychologist Ralph Stogdill defined the top leadership qualities as:
ambition
intelligence
energy
knowledge
honesty and integrity
the desire to lead
self-confidence
Harvard continues Stodgill's qualities by saying that would-be leaders need to focus on improving the following:
communication
creativity
the ability to spot talent and create talented teams
willingness and courage to "tell it the way it is"
the desire to nurture (or to create a nurturing culture)
the capacity to learn and cope with change
the ability to bring about intelligent strategy
Now you know what qualities you need, spend some time thinking about your own abilities. With a little effort you should be well on your way to becoming a good leader.
