What makes leaders special?

Within business, effective leadership has proven results, from the release of employees’ potential, to improved bottom line financial performance.

What makes leaders special, or what makes special leaders? Eitherway, a clear understanding of their values, emotional intelligence and above all an approach to leading that has values and behaviours underpinned with authenticity, curiousity, self awareness, integrity and a focus on others and the future. That comes first, then business results happen. Too many leaders focus on the internal instead of the external and fail to balance the long term with the short. In fact, leaders who are not so special, manage only the task, the results and their egos get in the way of true leadership.

leader should only focus on providing the right environment in which employees will have a feel good factor and will transfer that feeling to their customers, then the business results happen! a leader should never be upfront but work hidden in the background to make things happening. Not very easy for many leaders with egos bigger than themselves!

Where does one start?

Clarity: An ability to simplify and communicate complex issues.

Passion: I've yet to meet a genuine leader who didn't care passionately about the people and the mission. Some burn with a quiet intensity, while others resemble a furnace.

I once was told that a leader is someone who takes his team to places they haven't been before for the right reasons.

Leaders say what they mean & do what they say.

Build effective teams: No-one can do everything on their own. Leaders put the right bums on the right seats and enable their team to do their jobs effectively.

Loyalty: A leader has to earn this by offering loyalty to the team. There is a point, though, where a leader recognises a team member as an irretrievable liability and has to let them go.

"Firm but fair": A leader has a streak of ruthlessness, even if it's well hidden. To paraphrase Sun Tzu, if I tell them once and they get it wrong, it's my fault. If I tell them again and they get it wrong, I give them the benefit of the doubt. If I tell them a third time & I get it wrong, woe betide them!

Need I go on?

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