REDISCOVERING LEADERSHIP: THE ROAD TO BECOMING AN EFFECTIVE LEADER

In the last few weeks, I have taken time to reflect and partake in activities that have taught me about my leadership style and the type of leader I wish to become. 

The situational theory of leadership suggests that no single leadership style is the best. Instead, it all depends on the situation at hand and which type of leadership and strategies are best-suited to the situation. According to this theory, the most effective leaders are those that are able to adapt their style to the situation and look at cues such as the type of task, the nature of the group, and other factors that might contribute to getting the job done.

As a leader, I have learned that I need to be a better observer and more conscious of others around me. Empower them to equally contribute to the overall success of the team. After all, there is no "I" in team. I certainly do not have to have all the answers, but I must be aware of the different situations, adapt and use various approaches if I am to get the best out of those around me.

As a mentor, the passion to constantly learn, grow, empower and guide others remain constant. It is a never-ending road that may not always seem clear. But, while walking along this path, I discovered that whether you are a good or bad leader you have great influence over others and sometimes, even yourself. I choose to be a good and effective leader because good leadership means maximising my potential and empowering people by recognising and indirectly or directly teaching them to capitalise on their talents and strengths. 

Effective leaders make the workplace a more efficient and favourable environment for their team, which I believe I have been able to do throughout my career. In reality, not everyone has the skills to achieve these results, luckily, there are a few things we can all do to become better leaders and transform the workplace or our place of business. Even transform our lives.

Here are the three things we can all do better as leaders:

1. Clarify and Share Our Mission.

Before you can lead a group, you need to understand where you are leading them to. Be transparent and clear about goals for your team and the business. It is also important to help your team understand the overall mission and what role they need to play in making it a reality. In one of the many leadership exercises I have undertaken, I recall a scene where me and my group were split into three smaller groups called islands and each island was given different information and the same problem to solve. We were all given different aspects of the same problem. While working separately, it quickly became evident that none of us had sufficient information and that we needed to merge and arrive at the bigger picture to create a solution. Not only did this have a direct benefit of making work more productive, but it also empowered and motivated the team to work together to find appropriate solutions. 

2. Be Aware of Situations.

How many times have you said to others ‘Don’t worry, I know what to do, I’ve done this before only to find that the situation didn’t turn out quite as you imagined? It has happened to the best of us! We often believe we have diagnosed the problem and end up applying the same process or actions as we did to a similar problem. So why then didn’t you get a favourable outcome? I will tell you why, you were busy feeling confident, thinking you know the answer only to get an awakening that your master solution did not solve the problem. While you may have seen the problem before, you failed to pay attention to that ‘something’ that changed. It could be that the one key team member who formed a part of the previous success story and had that particular skill wasn’t there. 

The point here is, it is easy to apply the same process as before, but every situation is different from the last and calls for a different solution. Before you proceed to scan the situation stop and think. The ability to adapt your style, action or process to different environments will also help you address situations appropriately. You won’t fall flat on your face so often and likely to gain more respect as a leader, which will yield positive results.

3. Build and Leverage Meaningful Relationships.

In order to be an effective leader, it is imperative to have great communication skills, as well as the ability to manage conflict to foster meaningful relationships with those around us. Leaders must create a fabric of personal contacts, whether local, national or global who will provide support, feedback, insight, resources, and information. A leader’s ability to network effectively and keep relationships for the longer term is a critical aspect of relationship building. Which is deemed as one of the core competencies, for effective and influential leadership.

Building relationships is important at all levels; with employees, colleagues, industry professionals, business managers, influencers, graduates, etc. It is key that you make an effort and ensure that it is mutually beneficial.

Think about the ability to be able to call upon different people in various situations because you kept a good relationship. Not to mention, the power of your network can help you navigate your way out of a particularly tough situation.

In summary, rediscovering leadership, as I tried to do recently, taught me more about my strategic and transformational approach. To be a good and trusted leader we must be assertive when leading a team and set clear measurable objectives that everyone can visualise. I also learned that being aware of our situation and surrounding is key. If we are unaware then it leaves very little room to find the appropriate solutions. Lastly, we must learn to effectively network to establish an unwavering connection with likeminded individuals whom we can fall on if and when needed. 

What type of leader do you wish to become?