What sort of leader are you?
I, like many of you, was astounded with the turnaround in the popularity of some of our political leaders in the past month. I have also been suprised with the mess that some of our professional sportspeople have found themselves embroiled in over the past few years.
Sport and politics – are they comparable? Could you also compare these two fields with business? In many cases the answer is yes, when you want to compare great leaders.
Many of the attributes of great leaders in business are the same qualities you find in great leaders in the fields of sport and politics. What is important to realise is that no one method will work in all circumstances, so it cannot be simply pulled out of a box and rolled out in every situation.
Certainly leadership built around ethics, values, quality and morals should underpin any leadership style. These cannot waiver or deteriorate, otherwise the principles of your business and future success is under threat.
Recent research indicates that these core principles should be constant whereas other leadership attributes may be changing as businesses continually change to match the ever moving environment.
It is apparent that many business failures and also recent sporting indiscretions have resulted in a deterioration of core values and principles by individuals who have failed to follow the values of the business, team or club. These principles should be reinforced, understood and monitored. Any movement away from the agreed business principles should not be allowed otherwise you could face a potential avalanche of destruction.
Communication is also a critical attribute for business leaders. Is your business vision articulated clearly to your team? Do they know it and also do they know their role in achieving this goal? If you fail to communicate these important messages, then there is a strong chance you will not obtain optimum staff engagement.
Following success, great sporting teams often comment the fact that each person in the team knew what they had to do. The same applies to business.
Great leaders also have a strong need to become self aware and gain an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. They have to listen and be collaborative to gain the support of their team. You could easily relate the lack of this attribute to some of our politicians and their ultimate demise.
Also, great leaders inspire and motivate others. They show commitment and responsibility above all others. It is difficult to achieve success without having a goal in the first instance. In some cases it may be inspiration and motivation when the business is struggling and all looks lost to keep the team focused and committed.
Many successful business people have often failed in the first instance, but through determination and inspiration they have conquered through extremely difficult times.
I am sure you have had times when you have looked back and wondered how you managed to achieve certain milestones or tasks when they looked insurmountable at the beginning. As a leader, you must be able to lift your team and drive it forward. In today’s difficult financial instability, the benefit to a business of a leader showing these attributes should not be underestimated.
Finally, great business leaders do not often act alone. They seek views and opinions of trusted advisors and colleagues. So, if you face a dilemma and are not sure of the right path, why not pick up the phone and have a chat with your Nexia advisor. A second view or different perspective will often assist in clarifying your views or provide additional information from which you can make a more considered decision.
Leadership is a task that never finishes and becoming a leader is a process that is never completed.
Ian Stone, Chairman
