We need great leaders to guide
Great leaders aren’t born. Leadership is still a relatively new expertise; however, research consistently reveals leadership is a skill and capability.
Don’t kid yourself. How effective you are as a leader tremendously impacts YOUR Business’s Performance!
Granted we’ve had leaders since the beginning of time; however, leadership is a newer expertise. During the 1980s and since, significant interested and research has been conducted on leadership. Hard to believe that’s not even 50 years ago!
We oversimplify here… essentially, we can distill the research to:
- Some leaders are more comfortable in a leadership role, AKA: working and guiding people.
- There are some people who are innately capable of leading far better than others.
- Charisma is not a leadership style, nor does it necessarily make a leader.
- Leadership can be a learned skill.
How do great leaders emerge?
Often, out of necessity. Either a leader emerges to trail blaze a new way or they lead (guide) people to a new way.
When leadership is being discussed, it’s common for the conversation to include business productivity, people, and management.
Gallup.com says, “… 67% of employees say they are sometimes, very often or always burned out at work” . . . . and “Fewer than three in 10 employees in the U.S., U.K., Spain, France, and Germany strongly agree that their performance is managed in a way that motivates them to do outstanding work.”
All of this boils down to the next statement: “The solution requires organizations to re-engineer their performance systems and train managers into coaches.” Gallup.com
Some leaders are managers. For those who are leading managers, the evidence is clear: The “Boss” approach is dead. In the 21st century, employees will perform better when they feel supported, guided, and led.
Employees, want to feel as equal contributors – that they matter and what they do does make a difference.
Great leaders understand their people
Without people, your business will perish.
President George Washington had people live and work through the most unbearable conditions to follow him and the ideals he exuded. He knew what inspired and motivated them. Do you know this about the people you work with?
Here’s an excerpt from my book:
“There are five types of people your business needs to have ongoing relationship with for continued growth:
Team: Either in-house or external (outsourced) or a combination of the two
Customer: Actual paying customers or potential customers (prospects)
Guidance Team: Mentors/Advisors/Coaches
Networking Hubs: These are people of influence who connect you to the right folks
Business Allies: Other folks who can help you expand your business (Joint Venture Partners, etc.)”
(p. 21, Brilliant Breakthroughs for The Small Business Owner, Vol 1).
Leaders who naturally function like coaches, advisors, or mentors win big. In fact, people need them to do so.
Managers, who are still functioning as a “Boss”, need to behave more as coaches.Heck, if it works for Olympians, shouldn’t it work for your team? Sure! You just need to step into a guiding leadership role.
TIP: What that really means is you need to authentically engage with your people.
Oh, there’s so much more to share! Seems like we need to save the “authentically engage with your people” for our next blogpost.
For now, remember and practice: Great leaders guide.
What’s one of the ways you show up to guide others?
THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO HELP YOU IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS!
Brilliant Breakthroughs, Inc.
Making it possible to Simplify, Transform,
& Optimize Small Business Success!
Maggie Mongan, #1 Bestselling Author
Master Business Coach & Trainer
Brilliant Breakthroughs, Inc.
Direct Dial: 262-716-7750
LinkedIn: MaggieMongan
P.S.: Create brilliant outcomes through making better decisions in real-time.
Copyright: Article is copyrighted by Brilliant Breakthroughs, Inc. The internet is about sharing. Please share this post in its entirety with full attribution to BrilliantBreakthroughs.com.
