Post by: Juanpablo Barrantes
Learn on the essentials great leaders show, while shaping exceptional teams by delivering outstanding results consistently. How difficult is it for a leader to build a team and achieve great results? It certainly is not an easy quest. It is difficult because, rather than pursuing a final outcome, a great leader must first focus on how to approach his team to execute the strategies and routines to ensure management consistency. It is precisely in this interaction where a great leader makes influence towards his team by displaying these three essentials: Integrity If there is anything in particular a great leader must deliver at all times is credibility through his example. Being of one piece, without a double face or a double speech; knowing how to discern by always doing the right thing. And having enough character and humility to grant any mistake done, apologizing and learning from mistakes so as not to repeat the same twice. A honest leader delivers long-term prosperity wherever he is at. The most solid foundation upon which a great leader must show his people to strive their mission is by a fundamental first step: by always being a person of integrity. Discipline In order to explain the second essential for effective leadership, let me share with you a situation that I experienced recently. A few days ago I joined in an assessment as an evaluator, in a selection process of a candidate for a Staff Management position. During the assessment -with several candidates-, individual and group tests were carried out, while candidates competed to demonstrate mainly their competencies and leadership skills. In one of the tests, candidates were presented with a list of 14 activities that a leader performs with his team. They were asked to prioritize each activity from the most essential to the least important. Within the 14 tasks I could see for example: - provide prompt feedback to each team member - face and foster change as necessary to compete - team’s guidance in the achievement of results - organize the agenda and manage time effectively - have discipline by diligently following job rules, procedures and systems - ... and eight more activities Although I am clear this is a subjective matter, since it is based on opinions, I was pretty surprised to see that all the candidates rated the task of discipline in the second half of their list of effective leadership essentials! I think great leadership towards teamwork is effective as long as it is based on a very high amount of discipline in everything to be planned, executed and followed up to achieve the expected results in a consistent way. Without discipline, anyone does anything, without focus and probably without any grueling towards the systems that must prevail to achieve consistent results. It is key -based on my experience- to put discipline amongst any of the basics and essentials that an effective leader must show towards his team. Emotional Intelligence Any leader without a high score of emotional intelligence is surely bound to fail. Now, emotional intelligence may be understood as a set of "soft" skills that help us to understand the emotions and interactions between people in such a way so that anyone can manage to influence others in the achievement of great results. An effective leader first begins by knowing himself (self-awareness), his emotions and how to react in situations that changes his mood (self-regulation) recognizing these emotions but not being dragged by them. An effective leader is able to understand and be sensitive to the emotions of others (empathy), through a genuine connection because he manages to place himself into other people’s skin to understand and to help anyone in the best of his interests. An effective leader is tenacious and curious because he faces problems as opportunities, always seeking to challenge the way things are done (motivation), always staying informed and renewing himself continuously. An effective leader exerts influence over others (social skills) without any kind of manipulation, because others are inspired by his example that grinds naturally. Effective leadership is reached by always putting what is essential first: doing on all occasions what is right, with a lot of discipline in the basics of management and showing passion in whatever you do. The sum of the three essentials leverage those great leaders who relentlessly display these qualities, since they instill in the spread of influence over all around. Post by: Juanpablo Barrantes More blogs on leadership, personal growth and resilience: www.jpbarrantes1973.wixsite.com/leadersapproach