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Monday, November 22, 2010

Be The Full Jigsaw

Be The Full Jigsaw

"There is no such thing as a perfect leader, either in the past or present, in China or elsewhere. If there is one, he is only pretending, like a pig inverting spring onions into his nose in an effort to look like an elephant".

-Liu Shao-Chi

It may be true that there is no such thing as the perfect leader - leaders are human, after all. However, that is not to say that people who hold leadership positions should not continually seek to improve their leadership skills.

In order to measure managers' leadership capabilities we need to identify what are the essential qualities of an effective leader. In my view they are six in number:

? A Leader is a visionary

? A Leader sets an example

? A Leader understands what motivates each team member

? A Leader builds supportive relationships

? A Leader empowers others to reach their potential

? A Leader understands the power of communications

These are the six components that each leader must work hard at continually and consistently applying and, most importantly, demonstrating in all he or she does. Think of it as a jigsaw - The Leadership Jigsaw.

Unless all six pieces are in place, the leader will not achieve his or her potential, nor will those looking to following their leader. No one aspiring to lead a high-performing team can do so if they are `one piece short of a jigsaw'! Let's consider each piece in a little more detail.

VISION.

Leadership involves taking people on a journey, but if people are to follow it must not be a journey into the unknown. Such destinations may work for Captain Kirk of the Starship Enterprise but they will not work for modern-day leaders with their feet placed firmly on terra-firma! A person holding a leadership position without a clear vision, or the ability to communicate one effectively, will be heading into darkness (probably alone!). When leaders express their vision in a way that touches their followers, they invite strong commitment: a common purpose that focuses people on a shared, mutually beneficial objective.

"A leader shapes and shares a vision which gives point to the work of others"

-Charles Handy

EXAMPLE. People respect and follow leaders whose behaviour mirrors their words; they have no respect for leaders who say one thing and do another. "Do as I say, not as I do" is simply not good enough.Leaders should, therefore, look hard into the mirror and consider what they see. They should ask themselves: "Do I lead in
such a way that I would willingly follow myself? You can be sure of one thing: you may not be continually assessing your performance as a leader, but your followers will be! They will be watching your every move and taking a lead from you.

The leaders acts as though everyone is watching, even when no-one is
watching"

-Brian Tracy

MOTIVATION.

Truly great leaders understand their followers: they understand their needs, their dreams, their fears, their emotions - what `makes them tick'. People need to believe that they are playing their part and successful leaders ensure that they receive the recognition their efforts deserve. In my experience of working with junior managers across the country, a belief that they are not valued for their efforts is one of the most commonly found demotivators.

"Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it"

-Dwight D. Eisenhower

RELATIONSHIP.

It is axiomatic that a leader needs followers - a team of people working together towards a common aim. A culture of trust must exist between all members, at all levels, with the leader providing the shining example for all to follow.

Notwithstanding the fundamental changes forced upon organisations in recent years, some departments are still led by managers who busy themselves interfering in the work of their subordinates; are unwilling to share information; and insist on sanctioning every decision. Yet if the modern leader's challenge is to make optimum use of fewer resources (and it is!) this will only happen if people
are encouraged to participate in an open, positive environment based upon mutually-supportive relationships.

"All your strength is in your union.
All your danger is in discord"

-Henry Longfellow
The Song of Hiawatha

EMPOWERMENT.

Enlightened leaders understand that most people naturally want to better themselves and, given the appropriate support and encouragement, will grasp the opportunity to acquire new skills and knowledge. They also realise that the key to getting the best out of people is to give them responsibility for their own actions, rather than creating an environment of control and mistrust. Such leaders are willing to delegate aspects of their role to their subordinates when the situation allows and, moreover, are prepared to empower them to take decisions themselves, within parameters, without recourse to higher authority.

"Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you will help them to become what they are capable of being"

-Goethe

COMMUNICATION.

Whilst all managers, without exception, would preach the importance of effective communications, not all practice what they preach. But, yet again, it is the leader who should lead the way by his or her example.

Productive communications are built upon understanding between all parties. A leader who is prepared to get out and `walk the talk' will be in a far better position to both reinforce the vision, and hear how it is being received, than one who remains desk-bound. There are few more potent motivating actions a leader can take than to make the effort to speak to front-line workers and to ask "how
are things going?", and mean it!

"A leader is someone who knows what she wants to achieve and how to
communicate it"

-Margaret Thatcher

THE MESSAGE? The message is that true leaders need to be proficient in a wide range of essential skills that can be represented by The Leadership Jigsaw. Those holding leadership positions should measure themselves against this model of excellence to ensure that they are not `one piece short of a jigsaw'.

About the Author:
The Leadership Jigsaw is a model of leadership best practice created by Alan Cutler, a leadership writer, motivational speaker and mentor. For more details of how Alan can develop the leadership skills of your managers see www.hospitalityleadership.com, or contact him on alan@hospitalityleadership.com. Full details of The Leadership Jigsaw are contained in his book, `One Piece Short of a Jigsaw', obtainable from www.leadershiptalks.com

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