PURPLE YOUR PEOPLE: 14. Leaders at all levels

SHARED FROM THE BOOK:

Purple Your People

Jane Sunley

14. Leaders at all levels

 

            Leadership isn’t just about the inspirational and visionary CEO.  Organizations must create leaders at all levels.  There are so many characteristics of a good leader.  Great leaders are complex beings.  But they may not display all of the traits.  What is important is that they are not displaying the opposite behavior.

Great leadership breeds great leadership

 

Characteristics of good leader

1.  Clarify	·         Able to see the big picture ·         Make sense of complex situations ·         Able to articulate clearly
2.  Decisiveness	·         Problem solving and decision making ·         Action and brings progression
3.  Vision	·         Ability to look forward in enlightened and open-minded way ·         Strategic yet pragmatic
4.  Courage	·         Conviction and bravery to make tough decisions ·         Make calculated risk ·         Face harsh challenges
5.  Action-centered	·         Ability to ‘make it happen’ ·         Bring things to conclusion ·         Leave no loose ends
6.  Respect	·         Capable of giving respect and earning it
7.  Flexibility and adaptability	·         The ability to champion change
8.  Consistency	·         Calm ·         Emotionally intelligent ·         Fair ·         Level-headed
9.  Supportive	·         Prepared to listen ·         Make sure people are given the best chance to succeed empathetic
10.  Understanding the numbers	·         Finance savvy ·         Grasp the key metrics
11.  Communication	·         Confident and articulate ·         Able to make the complex simple, so that everyone understand
12.  Smart	·         Competent ·         Credible ·         Able to assimilate large amounts of varied information
13.  Positivity	·         See opportunities and take them ·         Able to handle bad news in a way that makes people feel in safe hands
14.  Character	·         Charisma ·         Aspirational ·         Inspirational ·         Able to inspire people to deliver their best
15.  Standards	·         Custodian of quality ·         Display high personal standards
16.  Talent spotting	·         Make people aware of their strengths and development needs
17.  Self-deprecation	·         Share minor weaknesses which gives them credibility, humanity and increases likeability
18.  Revel in diversity	·         Show their own strengths and those of the people around them ·         Know that difference is stronger than sameness
19.  Hard empathy	·         Ability to make people feel important, valued and valuable ·         Know exactly where they fit and what’s required ·         Feel vital to the success of organization ·         Challenged yet appreciated ·         Recognized contribution

Great leaders recruit great people, put together fantastic teams, embracing the fact that in some ways the team are more talented than the leader himself.  Developing leaders is a lifelong process.  People have so much experience and knowledge, yet some go to the grave without passing it on.

Leadership development can also be provided through:

-          In-house and/or externally facilitated leadership programmers

-          Job swaps, work shadowing, visits

-          Projects and self-study

-          E-learning, distance learning

-          Chairing meetings, working parties and committees

-          Non-executive directorship/trusteeship-paid and unpaid

 

Do three (3) things:

1.         Create greats leaders at all levels, leaders at all levels, understanding the impact of             getting it right

2.         Develop the of the future on the way up, always managing aspirations

3.         Invest in a mentoring scheme with trained mentors and/or find a mentor for yourself