While there are no fixed formulas
for becoming an effective leader, there are 6 vital areas that a leader can use
to improve his or her effectiveness and drive performance excellence.
1. Context: People do their best work when
they can link their efforts and contributions to a bigger cause. Ensure
that your team understands your firm’s core strategies;
leverage the power of a clear vision to provide high-level context and
constantly involve everyone in providing input back into strategy.
2. Connection: Many studies show the important
human need to be connected and to feel valued and appreciated. As a
leader, pay attention to your people; empathize with their issues and give them
the respect of asking for their input and listening to their concerns. You will
promote strong performance if you establish a personal connection with your
team members.
3. Credibility: People and teams do their best
work for leaders that they respect. Our research indicates that many
leaders shoot themselves in one or both feet by not backing words with actions,
by not treating people with respect and by not paying attention. Treat
every encounter as an opportunity for you to strengthen your credibility.
4. Conditions: Your job is to create an
environment in which your people can succeed. It’s as simple as
surrounding yourself with great individuals and then working unceasingly to do
everything possible to ensure their success.
5. Customer Connection: Whether your customer is
internal or external, we all do our best work when we are armed with a clear
understanding of how our efforts will enable our customers to succeed.
6. Communication: Providing feedback is your most
powerful communication and performance tool. Ask great questions that
help you understand at a deep level, and when it is time for you to be
understood, provide context and link your communications to vision, strategy
and customer.
Regularly take stock of how you
are doing. Ask for feedback and accept coaching from where ever it is
offered.
About Glowan
The Glowan consulting Group was formed in 1993 on the premise that individuals
and organizations needed more that just pre-designed, prescripted
"training" to meet their human development goals. Organizations and
our societies are changing at a rate never seen before in our experience and we
need tools, techniques and support systems to meet those new challenges. Glowan
has been meeting those needs via our broad and deep offerings of Leadership and Management Development
Services and Products. Visit www.glowan.com
for more information.
