If you want a high performing team, you need to be a high performing leader.
The corporate environment that exists today is a far cry from that of the 1950’s and 1960’s. The executive command-and-control approach of those early days may have been considered appropriate then, but that style of management has lived its life and mercifully been put to rest. Now, when I say ‘put to rest’ what I mean, of course, is it’s a style of management that doesn’t apply anymore, very simply because it doesn’t work anymore. Why is it then that, according to a Gallup 2023 survey, 78% of leaders globally still favour the command-and-control approach to leadership?
Though this approach may have served a purpose when much of the work people carried out was repetitive and didn’t require much cognitive effort, today most of those tasks have either been outsourced or automated and the work that remains demands a greater need for out-of-the-box thinking. Those assigned to execute these tasks need freedom of perspective and autonomy to determine the best way to achieve set targets. But for this to happen, leaders need to let go of the reigns and trust their people – and this, I believe, is where most leaders struggle.
Of course, leadership isn’t a one size fits all approach. There are any number of characteristics that great leaders display, but for a leader to genuinely empower their team, there are six core skills that must be mastered.
Let's have a look at each one individually:
Vision
It isn’t enough to have an idea of where you want your team to go. If you really want your team to work together, to be as productive as they can be and to support each other they really must know two things:
1. What is it you’re trying to achieve?
2. How do they contribute to the end goal?
One of the key drivers of low productivity is a lack of clear goals and/or priorities. Don’t be the leader for whom everything is a priority. Set clear priorities for your team to work on and help them understand why these are the priorities. In other words – why does working on this task now help the team to achieve their end goals?
Vulnerability
Vulnerability in leadership isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. Achieving a leadership position does not imbue you with the collective knowledge of the universe. You are not better than your team, nor do you know more than they do about everything.
Vulnerability doesn’t mean wearing your heart on your sleeve, but it does mean giving your limitations visibility. Some things you can do to show vulnerability are;
· Don't be afraid to show weakness.
· If you don’t know, say you don't know.
· Share your story.
· Be open about your mistakes.
· Be who you really are.
· Ask for help when you need it.
Emotional Intelligence
A lot has been written about emotional intelligence and for good reason. It is one of the key skills any leader should have. The ability to identify and manage your own emotions while understanding others and managing effective relationships is critical to effective leadership. Sadly, there are some leaders so lacking in this basic skill they can only get what they want by yelling loud enough.
Emotional intelligence, as with any skill, can be improved with dedication and practice – and the benefits to the mental health and wellbeing of your team are immeasurable.
· Challenge your opinions.
· Identify your biases.
· Know your strengths and weaknesses.
· Be prepared to shift your perspective.
Curiosity
Albert Einstein famously said “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious”. Leaders with boundless curiosity open a world of creativity for their teams. I mentioned this earlier, you do not have – nor will you ever have more knowledge or skill than your team. Your job is not to know more than they do, so be curious. Ask for their opinions, advice and ideas. You’ll be surprised at how quickly your team’s productivity will increase.
Resilience
No matter who you are or how high you may climb the corporate ladder, there will always be people who will try to suppress your talent. Therefore, resilience in leadership is a crucial skill. Leaders who lack resilience tend to have teams with low resilience.
But there are two types of resilience you need to focus on, personal resilience and team resilience. Where personal resilience is internal, team resilience is external and is heavily interdependent. It requires strong team connections so members support each other during periods of adversity. Your role is create an environment that supports and encourages those connections.
Inclusion
Check your ego at the door. You are not in a position of power, you are in a position of responsibility. You are responsible for the people in your team, the people who rely on you to be a mentor, an inspiration, a guide. These people are not your possessions so do not treat them that way. Don’t force them to acquiesce to your view of the world. As a leader, you need to acknowledge and celebrate the diversity of backgrounds, life experiences and talent in your team. If you do this, you will unleash their strengths and develop a high performing team that produces superior results every time.
So, if you are one of the 78% who still favour a command-and-control approach to leadership, I get that it won’t be easy to let that go, but we work in a world where you no longer have a choice. So be strong, bite the bullet and kick that command-and-control approach to the curb.
Good luck.
