Leadership - do you really mean it?

Last year I wrote about diversity and inclusion and what it really takes to build inclusive workplaces. Too often I have found organisations saying they want diversity, without really being equipped to lead diverse teams and organisations.

And the same goes for leadership. Leadership is an absolute privilege. What an honour to be in a position where you can motivate and inspire others and create a great work environment for people day in day out. But, leadership is also tough. In leadership roles you are responsible for other people’s work, and their wellbeing and job satisfaction is tied to you as a leader. Many leaders fall into their roles without necessarily having all the skills and tools to lead at their best. This might be because someone quickly has to step up into a leadership role with little notice, or they apply for a manager role without really appreciating what is involved until the first day on the job. This can be very scary.

Of course, this doesn’t happen to all leaders. Many organisations put structures and skill development in place to make sure their leaders are as effective as possible. But even then there will be instances where leaders feel out of their depth, or are not able to access support immediately.

So, if you find yourself in this position as a leader, what can you do to ensure you are as effective as possible?

There are some common principles leaders should revert to in these times.

Firstly, put people first. If you put your people first, the work and results will follow. As a leader, you cannot succeed without your people. Make sure your people are supported, included, and that their work is monitored. Get to know the people in your team and make a point to check in with them regularly.

Secondly, set clear expectations and a vision for what your team is working towards. This can be the hardest thing for new leaders to do, as it sets a clear distinction between being a member of a team and being a leader of a team. But you are reading this because you are a leader, so do it. Everyone is better off when they know what they need to do and by when, and your staff will be much more motivated when they know what they are ultimately working towards.

Thirdly, communicate, communicate, communicate. I have heard so many staff complain that leaders don’t communicate enough, but I have never heard the reverse. Think about if you were in the shoes of your team members what you would need to know, and what would be useful context . Communicate regularly, and keep people in the loop on important matters.

Fourthly, ask questions. This is a massively underrated skill. There are so many benefits to asking questions - you give people the time and space to show you their potential and to come up with the answers themselves, you give yourself thinking time before you make decisions, and you find out more about issues before deciding how to move forward. Use simple questions like, what else do we need to think about? Who do we need to involve? Is there anything else I should know? What are the biggest risks here?

And finally, be a role model. Remember that your staff are now looking to you for what is and isn’t acceptable. So set the bar high. Live and breath the values and behaviours you want your team to work by.

This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of desirable leadership behaviours, but I have found them a good set of base behaviours for when leaders find themselves needing to lead without full support or capability. So give them a go, and when you can, get support from those around you, as leadership doesn’t need to be a lonely place.