What Makes a Great Leader?

I wonder how many of us would have the same answer to this question. I recently presented a keynote address at The Marketing Society, as part of their “Brave Leaders” series and I was asked my thoughts on this. Certainly, leadership is more important today than ever before. I personally believe that being a great leader comes down to a combination of strategic agility, incredible attention to detail, great people skills and a real flair for understanding markets and connecting with clients.

And I have found that the “Three Ts” Framework has supported many a great leader. Over time, I’ve seen each ‘T’ come to stand for many different things; anything from thought- to transactional-, transcendent- or transdisciplinary leadership. In fact, the ‘T’ has become so deeply ingrained in leadership that you often hear the need for ‘T-shaped’ qualities to describe both the depth and breadth in a leader’s skill set. Ultimately, each T can be what you want it to be. The Ts that I consistently use are time, team and tone.

 Three Ts of Leadership:

Time: is our single most important commodity and it’s what we are contracted to give. I rigorously prioritise to make sure that my time is being spent wisely and am very rarely late. I treat my own time – and anyone else’s time – with huge respect. A great way to look at this is through the lens of a parent. Anyone with a four or five-year old, will understand that kids have two dimensions of time; right now and some indeterminate point in the future. I live in the now and act as if today were the last day to work on the things that are in front of me - and I don’t stop until they’re done.

Now it’s been suggested by many that as I mature, I might learn about the physiology of delay. I still don’t understand that! I think about time in units of hours and days; I’m not the first to say this, but speed – how we use our time to review our priorities - really is the killer app.

Team: is everything – and it’s your job to put the best team in place possible. Stay plugged into the dynamic and if there are known issues, keep in mind that they won’t change with time and you need to act. If you need to bring on someone new, get someone who can get on the bus with you as quickly as possible. It’s only natural that the team you begin with won’t be the same one you have down the road. For me personally, the make-up of my teams tends to be split into three – the fantastic team members I have inherited; then the members of the team I promote from within, and finally are the people I bring in from the outside.

Another point that has served me well is to acknowledge that I’m not the smartest person in the room – and I don’t think that’s the job of a leader. The job is to make sure that you have assembled a fabulous array of people and that you get the time and support you need. Of course, be accountable for your team and make sure that what needs to happen does. Once you do that, then get out of the way and let the talented people do their job!

Tone: is made easier by knowing who you are and what makes you tick. What tone do you set? Think about it. The tone of any communication – written or verbal – clues your team into what your core values are and what is important to you. If you know this, you can work with different teams and audiences from a place of humility. It is also about demonstrating that you are listening and showing people that you understand what they are saying. Listening is such an undervalued skill - we have two ears, which are more important than any tool or framework; applying them to show we are listening is key to setting the right tone.

In all our interactions, we set our own tone. Knowing the tone you set is about knowing what you give to that interaction – be it your expertise, wise attention, an open ear. In my interactions with team members, I offer a sense of being mentally engaged; engaging in this way when I am learning new stuff or having to make hard decisions makes getting the tone right very important. Get your tone right – be gracious, be delightful, create a joyful working environment, work to remove obstacles and barriers, so you and your team can surge forward and win. Make every day count!

 So, what’s the worst that could happen?

My one final piece of advice, which I share with my team and remind myself of time and again is to ask yourself, ‘what’s the worst that can happen?’ Seriously, do it! We can get so caught up in caring about what other people think that it can stop us from fearlessly being who we are. It’s about what you think that counts – and that doesn’t mean not being delightful or graceful or supportive to your team. Make your opinion and your drive matter more to you than anyone who may try to put you down, derail you or who perhaps doesn’t have a particularly positive view. It matters what you think.

Your career is yours – and it’s far too important to be left to someone else. Of course, listen to feedback, it’s an important gift – but do what you believe in and want to get done. Don’t get too safe, or too comfortable; stay edgy and drive forward.