Most members of a
team know when they’re doing their work well. They often have a particular area
of expertise, and they have deadlines and deliverables.
For leaders, it’s
a bit different. How do you show that you’re leading? Here are five
competencies that good leaders demonstrate. They are related to one another,
and each is framed with a question to help you think about opportunities to
display leadership.
1. Visibility
We know that
leaders need to be seen by followers--from formal presentations and
announcements, to a crisis, to simple “managing by walking around.” The
less-obvious occasions, however, are easily overlooked. They can be lost
opportunities, or powerful expressions of leadership.
As a leader, when
do you feel out of your comfort zone? Maybe it’s when you have to deliver bad
or unpopular news, or mediate a conflict between direct reports, or perform a
necessary task that you just don’t like. One CEO client told me that he found
it hard to celebrate the “small to medium wins” that his team wanted
acknowledged. He considered these victories just part of doing business. His
solution was to ask his executives to publicize accomplishments up to a certain
level, allowing him to save his praise for the really big achievements.
Ask yourself, “How am I visible to others when I don’t want to be?” The answer is not to pretend to like being visible--far from it. Instead,
ask yourself this question prior to an uncomfortable event, and use it to help
you prepare. Consider some behavioral options, and put yourself in a different
mental space. Then you’ll be able to be visible in a more productive, less
stressful manner.
2. Preparation
Many leaders are
great at preparing the logistics of leadership (the facts and figures in a
plan, or the pitch for a presentation). Too many leaders, however, don’t
prepare regularly for the deeper daily requirements of leadership. This is a
shame, because most leaders face complex challenges, relentless claims on their
time, and increasing pressures to deliver on goals over which they don’t have
direct control. A bit of regular preparation goes a long way.
Just as athletic
activities involve physical, mental, and emotional energies, leadership is a
“whole-body practice” and requires preparation of the whole person. The next
time you are running through your checklist prior to a leadership event, ask
yourself, “How have I
prepared my whole self for this?”
3. Comfort
This is closely
related to preparation, because leadership discomfort is greatly enhanced by a
lack of preparation. In order to be more comfortable as a leader and to appear
that way to other people, you need to practice (which is simple preparation
repeated). By “comfortable,” I don’t mean perpetually happy or even
relaxed--I mean grounded in your complete embodiment of leadership.
Ask yourself, “How do I display that I am comfortable with the
responsibilities and demands of leadership?” Look for nagging doubts in the back of your mind; or instincts that need
to be surfaced around what you feel should be happening instead of what is happening, or
that feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach about an issue not faced. This
is valuable data, and if you do not address your lack of grounding and comfort,
others will certainly sense it for you.
4. Listening
One reason that
modern leadership is hard is because an effective modern leader must listen to
others. Though few people manage to do it, this may be one of the easiest
competencies to demonstrate--provided you can resist the urge to talk.
Ask yourself, “What one thing can I tell myself as a reminder to
listen more?” It’s vitally important that you think up an effective
cue. If you can’t come up with one, that in itself could indicate a deeper
internal misalignment.
5. Blend
This list started
with visibility. When the opposite is required, a leader must blend in. Otherwise, he or
she risks drawing attention away from the people and issues at hand. When you
pull back, it makes it easier for other people to bring you hard problems, bad
news, and perspectives that challenge the status quo.
As a leader, it’s
not all about you. The clearest way to demonstrate this is to find the right
moments to step out of the spotlight so that other people get the attention
they need. Ask yourself, “When necessary, how do I lower the volume of my leadership presence?”
Though leadership
can be hard to demonstrate at times, regularly questioning how you embody your
role will serve your leadership well.
Read more:
Brian Evje:
Brian is a management consultant with the organizational effectiveness practice
of Slalom
Consulting and an advisory board member of Astia,
a global not-for-profit dedicated to increasing women's participation in
high-growth businesses.
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