It’s been said that the higher up you are in an organisation the better at leadership you must be. But, Gary Muir asks, is this true? Or do we all have a responsibility to lead well regardless of our grade or seniority?
Many of us may be in the role of followers from a leadership perspective, whilst others may have been leading for a considerable time. So, let’s look at some of the ways in which followers can become leaders and how leaders can attract followers.
The world of leadership and the ways in which we look at strategy have changed as the world becomes faster paced and ever changing; that said we often look back at the leadership of others to help us gain an understanding of what is good and effective; after all they have tested it out on our behalf and we can easily gain the benefits of following in the same style or indeed taking the bits which fit our own leadership agenda.
There are pros and cons to all leadership strategies and depending on your own personal preferences you may enjoy one and be less in favour of another. Your role may dictate this for you.
For instance, as a highly organised person who needs ongoing support and reassurance you may not be in favour of a laissez fair approach, which is often known as ‘delegation leadership’. This is where leaders have a hands-off style; for others this will help them to thrive and progress as it affords them an element of ‘freedom’. Some other styles include ‘autocratic leadership’, where the leader holds all the authority and responsibility; ‘democratic leadership’ where team members are very much involved and ‘coaching leadership’ which involves a degree of both teaching and supervision.
This year as we celebrate the 105th anniversary of Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic expedition I’ve found myself reflecting on his journey and what made it so extraordinary?
Well, he had a dream to lead the first land crossing of the Antarctic continent which in fact the expedition failed to accomplish. However, they were recognised for their amazing feat of endurance leaving an extraordinary legacy which, in part, was as a result of Shackleton’s ‘new goal’, approach to survival and ability to lead.
Whilst our own personal journeys involving leadership are not as challenging as that of Ernest Shackleton and the crew, on his ship Endurance, there are still many discussions that we can have around it, on how to become an effective leader or enhance our existing leadership skills.
Are we born leaders? Can we gain leadership skills? What if I’m not a natural leader? These are questions which are regularly asked on this topic.
There are a number of things that we can focus on from a leadership perspective which help us to answer these questions.
The leadership journey is one of self discovery. A leader is often seen as a role model and someone who sets a personal example. What leaders do can be observed by team members; they are keen to see if the leader’s actions are more representative than their words. It’s therefore important that as a leader your words and actions are in sync.
Often, we confuse ‘leadership’ with ‘management’. In both these roles there will certainly be similarities however, the approach, methodology and tone of each role may differ greatly. For example, with leadership the style and tone may be to inspire people and foster commitment, whilst from a management perspective it’s more about developing talent and solving problems.
Whether an experienced leader or one at the start of your leadership journey, we learn new ways to interact with people who are likeminded as well as how best to adapt and connect with those who may be very different.
So, what things are important when you are a leader? What are your followers looking at?
Leaders are bold in vision but still retain an element of care when planning. In addition, they are willing to venture in new directions whilst seizing and opportunities ensuring that, despite their experience, they continue to learn new skills.
Thinking back to Shackleton he had a crew of people to help him on the journey, people of differing skills and abilities, these were seen as his followers and although there were differences at times they worked well as a team and had a common goal. In modern times – and just like Shackleton himself – leaders help their crew do top-quality work; they also give consistent feedback on performance. Words of praise and encouragement go a long way and are often forgotten in a busy world or second choice if something negative could be said first. As good leaders we should take every opportunity to reinforce the team message. What are the goals we are aiming for? How can we, as a team, achieve them? Along the way we will all have barriers and obstacles and it’s the way in which we deal with and react to such things which often defines our leadership qualities. In Shackleton’s case he wanted to cross the Antarctic however, due to some insurmountable challenges the goal changed and indeed so did the destination.
At this time you may be in a position of ‘leadership’ but this may not be work related. It could be in a sporting capacity, looking after your children or just generally being seen as the leader for your natural ability to interact and organise. So, what could you do to gain or enhance your own leadership skills? As I mentioned the world moves fast and it’s often difficult to fit in some quality time for learning and professional development.
From experience I’ve found that, when in a leadership role, there are a number for things which make the journey enjoyable. There is nothing better than your ‘Leadership Brand’ being both sought after and effective. It’s therefore important to start with a positive self image; this ensures that you exude confidence and ability. The ability to form, build and maintain strong relationships with your team and stakeholders is key. In addition, showing appreciation, seeing the good and being proactive also help. Be optimistic and keep learning.
One of the things we do in many roles is to provide feedback and indeed as I’ve mentioned it’s one of the key deliverables of a leadership role. Often though, feedback allows us to look back at the past, at things which have gone wrong or have not gone to plan. It’s therefore important to accept that circumstances cannot be changed and looking forward is a healthier way to progress. Where required re-focus on goals and take appropriate action to achieve them. This is what Shackleton did. He became a situational leader, he adapted to the situation as it presented itself to him and new goals were set, namely, to ensure that his crew returned home safely.
It’s unlikely that in our roles we will face the challenges which Shackleton and his crew faced however, we can learn from the experience they had. And even in times of adversity they made time on the journey to celebrate their successes and have fun. This was a very big part of keeping morale up and creating positivity on what was a journey of 497 days. This is a consideration for leaders. What events do you celebrate as a team? Are there ways to motivate and have fun on a regular basis?
What we can see is that Shackleton certainly left a legacy, given we are still talking about his leadership journey today. As leaders ourselves or those hoping to be leaders in the future it is wise to think of what our own legacy might be and how we want to be remembered.