In my almost 40 years as a sales professional, I have had the opportunity to work for: owners, supervisors, department heads and bosses, but only two legitimate leaders. As in sales, there is a big difference between true leaders and others who may believe they are leaders.
This list includes the following, but is by no means complete:
1. True leader uses comments like: “We need to collectively come up with a solution to this problem.” Not, “Frank, I need the solution on my desk by the end of the day.”
2. True leaders are actually training their replacements. Others hold back information, resources, etc., because they are threatened to be replaced.
3. True leaders are ALWAYS looking for something positive to say to their team. Others can’t wait for them to do something wrong so that they can chastise them usually in public causing more humiliation.
4. True leaders, by using questioning skills, guide their team to find the solution on their own. An example would be: “So Lucy, when you checked their last order in the computer what did you find?” Lucy now knows that by going back into history she can find answers to a lot of questions. Instead of: “Oh give me that. I’ll do it.” What did Lucy learn?
5. True leaders set the example; arrive first, be it at work, or, to a meeting, are the last to leave work, one hour for lunch means 50 minutes to them, dresses the part and watches his/her speech.
6. The phrase, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Never enters the thought process of a true leader.
7. True leaders say: “Can I help?” and not, “Aren’t you done yet?”
8. True leaders take the majority of responsibility and the least of the credit.
9. True leaders never have to wonder if they are a good leader; they know.
There is no denying the fact that from time to time a leader may have to switch into a supervisory role and even into a disciplinary one and even make some very tough decision such as termination. This however should be the exception and only after he/she has done coaching, training, shadowing etc. Too many times I have seen people fired because it was the quick expedient thing to do. Very few of these people have little understanding on the cost of hiring a new person. Not only hard costs, advertising etc., but also the hidden costs: time spent retraining, revenue lost because of the vacancy, etc. I once worked for an owner who fired two receptionists in the same week because he did not like the way they answered the phone. Please tell me how this makes it a workplace you look forward to going to every day?
Besides being the supervisor, leaders have two more important roles. They are coach/trainer and mentors. By coaching and training you are increasing not only the knowledge of your team, but are in fact making it an efficient, cohesive group that in the end really do not need you. Believe it or not, this is exactly where you want them to be. Ask yourself, “If I got hit by a bus tomorrow, what would happen to my business/department?” If any other answer besides, “Nothing, it would move right along without missing a step.” Then there is a problem and the problem may be you.
One way of knowing, without a shadow of a doubt, that you have reached this lofty position, leader, is when someone either asks, or, just informs you that they consider, you as a mentor. Mentor is defined as: someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced person; a trusted counsellor. In essence, they value your expertise, knowledge and direction. They seek your wisdom and your advice. They implement your thoughts and ideas into their own situations because they see you as a learned individual in not only your particular field, but in their own.
Today in business, as well as other walks of life, it is the true leader and not the leader in “title” only that is listened to, is looked up to and is respected. This leader may not even be the owner or high ranking official in your organization; it may be you. As a rule, you cannot make anyone follow you, but you can through your actions, words and habits cause them to want to be led by you because in the end they see themselves in you. In other words, as so eloquently stated by writer Tom Peters, “Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.”
This list includes the following, but is by no means complete:
1. True leader uses comments like: “We need to collectively come up with a solution to this problem.” Not, “Frank, I need the solution on my desk by the end of the day.”
2. True leaders are actually training their replacements. Others hold back information, resources, etc., because they are threatened to be replaced.
3. True leaders are ALWAYS looking for something positive to say to their team. Others can’t wait for them to do something wrong so that they can chastise them usually in public causing more humiliation.
4. True leaders, by using questioning skills, guide their team to find the solution on their own. An example would be: “So Lucy, when you checked their last order in the computer what did you find?” Lucy now knows that by going back into history she can find answers to a lot of questions. Instead of: “Oh give me that. I’ll do it.” What did Lucy learn?
5. True leaders set the example; arrive first, be it at work, or, to a meeting, are the last to leave work, one hour for lunch means 50 minutes to them, dresses the part and watches his/her speech.
6. The phrase, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Never enters the thought process of a true leader.
7. True leaders say: “Can I help?” and not, “Aren’t you done yet?”
8. True leaders take the majority of responsibility and the least of the credit.
9. True leaders never have to wonder if they are a good leader; they know.
There is no denying the fact that from time to time a leader may have to switch into a supervisory role and even into a disciplinary one and even make some very tough decision such as termination. This however should be the exception and only after he/she has done coaching, training, shadowing etc. Too many times I have seen people fired because it was the quick expedient thing to do. Very few of these people have little understanding on the cost of hiring a new person. Not only hard costs, advertising etc., but also the hidden costs: time spent retraining, revenue lost because of the vacancy, etc. I once worked for an owner who fired two receptionists in the same week because he did not like the way they answered the phone. Please tell me how this makes it a workplace you look forward to going to every day?
Besides being the supervisor, leaders have two more important roles. They are coach/trainer and mentors. By coaching and training you are increasing not only the knowledge of your team, but are in fact making it an efficient, cohesive group that in the end really do not need you. Believe it or not, this is exactly where you want them to be. Ask yourself, “If I got hit by a bus tomorrow, what would happen to my business/department?” If any other answer besides, “Nothing, it would move right along without missing a step.” Then there is a problem and the problem may be you.
One way of knowing, without a shadow of a doubt, that you have reached this lofty position, leader, is when someone either asks, or, just informs you that they consider, you as a mentor. Mentor is defined as: someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced person; a trusted counsellor. In essence, they value your expertise, knowledge and direction. They seek your wisdom and your advice. They implement your thoughts and ideas into their own situations because they see you as a learned individual in not only your particular field, but in their own.
Today in business, as well as other walks of life, it is the true leader and not the leader in “title” only that is listened to, is looked up to and is respected. This leader may not even be the owner or high ranking official in your organization; it may be you. As a rule, you cannot make anyone follow you, but you can through your actions, words and habits cause them to want to be led by you because in the end they see themselves in you. In other words, as so eloquently stated by writer Tom Peters, “Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.”