Unlock Your Leadership Potential!

As an author, I am always looking for writing inspiration.?I was delighted when the Financial Times (FT) published the Best Letters of 2022.?Please allow me to put this in context.?Avid readers send their opinions on articles appearing in the papers to the Editors.?After a filtration process, a select number of views are published daily.?Toward the year’s end, another filtration process takes place to select the best of the best of letters.?I felt lucky to have read this one by Sam Gordon – “What the Queen can teach business leaders.” I liked the letter.?I selected keywords to serve as a prompt for this article.

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1) Values

As leaders, we are responsible for setting the values for our companies.?These values will become the guiding lights for our team members to achieve our goals.?The setting of these values should not be taken lightly.?We should think long and hard about our values.?As leaders, we should involve our team members in developing these values.?And this is an intelligent way to generate buy-in from the employees.?After all, they will need to embody these values.

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Here are the corporate values of a Bahraini startup that I am proud of – Lumofy:?

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Passion – Purpose – Clarity – Empowerment – Curiosity - Grit

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If you visit its website, you will note that they have concrete definitions for each value.?This is important so that all employees have the same understanding of these values.

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Having values does not ensure success.?We need to breathe these values constantly.?Otherwise, they become useless – just ink on paper.?I have many stories on this.?However, I will stop and move to the next segment.?However, if we meet in the future, remind me to tell you how my past employer – Unilever – dealt with layoffs.

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2) Work Ethic

Please do not confuse “ethics” with “work ethic.” The first term refers to the values of the employees.?For example, an ethical employee would not accept bribes from suppliers for channeling business to them. ?In contrast, the second term – work ethic – refers to how we approach our duties.?For instance, dressing well in the office is part of the “work ethic.” Showing a high level of civility is another.?Maximizing your daily productivity is a work ethic.

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Another example is treating a company’s money as if it were yours.?

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This will sound cliché, but it is not far from the truth.?As leaders, we must lead by example.?We must become the model employees aspire to emulate.?If you wish your team members to report to the office on time, you better be on time.?They should see your car in the parking lot when they arrive!

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3) Enthusiasm

As the leader, you set the tone for your team members.?Be gloomy; they will be dismal.?Be optimistic; they will be auspicious.?That is why you must show enthusiasm inside and outside the company.?Being the person at the top means all eyes are on you.?What do you wish people to see when they look at you??The energetic leader.?Or the one who has dying batteries.?Your enthusiasm is contagious.?It will move your team into action.?It will inspire them to achieve the company’s Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).?

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4) Authenticity

This is a big one.?Unfortunately, it became a rare commodity.?Most leaders fake being authentic.?They would appear to be authentic.?For example, taking selfies with your team members to show them that you are approachable is wrong – if, deep inside, you do not care a bit.?To be authentic, your internal values should match your external behaviors.?

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A few years ago, I met with the CEO of a Bank to escalate a complaint about a terrible customer experience (CX).?From the outside, reading his articles on CX, seeing him speak at conferences about CX, and preaching in the bank’s literature on CX, I thought he would resolve my complaint instantly.?It turned out he did not practice what he preached.?He was not authentic and fake when it came to advocating CX.?I must admit, he is a great actor.

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5) Visibility

Visibility is essential to realize your leadership potential and advance your company’s agenda.?All the lights will be on you if you are the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).?You will receive media requests for interviews and invitations to speak at conferences; accept these.?You are the ambassador of your company.?Promote your company and its products using these opportunities.?

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In October 2022, I facilitated a Sales Course for Wealth Advisors at one of the leading banks in the Middle East.?Unanimously, they agreed they booked more sales when the CEO appeared on one of the TV channels speaking about the bank, its investment philosophy, its investment selection process, and its investor communications channels.?It became a conversation starter and a deal closer.

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6) Communication

Leaders communicate all the time with different stakeholders.?These include employees, shareholders, regulators, the media, banks, and more.?The settings might be different, but the goal is to send the right message to the audience you are addressing.?For example, if you are addressing investors, you should persuade them to invest in your shares or products.?And to do that, you must know who they are, their investment preferences, and who makes the ultimate investment decisions.?

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7) Leading Change

Businesses operate in ever-changing environments.?One of the tools companies use to monitor their environment is PESTLE - Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental.?If you reflect on 2022, these factors changed a lot.?The technological advancements are bewildering.?I stumbled upon an Artificial Intelligence (AI) engine a few months ago.?I used its free trial version.?Within 35 minutes, it generated 13 articles about CX.?I was astonished.?Of course, all of them needed a human touch.?

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Astute leaders monitor changes around them and build agile teams to capture opportunities resulting from them or manage risk emanating from these changes.?There is no question about it.?Leading change is arduous.?But it is a job you must handle well, or you will be like Nokia.?Retailers that did not embrace e-commerce suffered during COVID-19.?Whereas the retailers that embraced it thrived during the pandemic.?

8) Crisis Time

I was flattered when a former team member praised me for dealing with a corporate crisis much better than my successor.?He said my successor needed to be more knowledgeable when he faced a similar situation.??Allow me to explain further.?Over a decade ago, an influential investor filed a multi-million suit against our company. ?With little waiting, the CEO and I fixed a meeting with the lawyers to build a defense scenario.?

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Once I was back in the office, I mobilized my team to collect all the documents the lawyer might need.?We built scenarios for communicating with the regulators.?We drafted two sets of letters – winning the case and losing it.?Further, we created scenarios for the impact on our financial statements and disclosures.?We took our preparations to another level to see how to facilitate our business operations if our bank accounts were frozen by law.

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As a leader, you will be tested harshly during crises.?Be prepared.?Run war games.?Get mentored by more seasoned leaders who deal with crises – successfully or otherwise.?Be ready for your rainy days.?Invest in your umbrella from now.

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9) Succession Planning

Authentic leaders build people and processes as part of their succession plans.?They want the company to succeed when they leave.?This is different from the practices of mediocre leaders if you could call them leaders.?“Mediocre leaders” build an environment where is always a need for them.?That is how they stick to power.?They do not invest in their teams.?They do not build processes.?They avoid appropriate levels of documentation.?Their message is clear: “If you want this company to run, I must be here.”?Authentic leaders develop more leaders.?And, most importantly, prepare them to succeed.

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In this article, I spoke about nine different areas. If you ask me, which area is the most important one? I would say with full conviction say – communication. Communication is the foundation of successful leadership. Communicate better. Communicate more. That is how you become a better leader in 2023 and beyond.

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As a keynote speaker, I have had the privilege of sharing my insights and leadership experiences with audiences worldwide. If you’re looking to inspire and empower your team, contact me today to learn how I can help you take your leadership to the next level. Let’s make a difference together!