In last week’s blog I talked about some tips for leaders to create greater engagement within their teams and it got me thinking about leadership more generally.

So I thought that in the blog over the next few weeks I would look at the subject of leadership in more detail.

Whilst not everyone runs a business or team, I believe that we can all display leadership qualities and use them effectively in our personal and professional lives. We are the leader and conductor of our life. Therefore we can create a clear vision and sense of purpose for our life. We can take greater responsibility for our actions, choices and results. We can commit to excellence.

Leadership isn’t always easy to define. We may have some difficulty in defining it but we know it when we see it in action and experience great leadership qualities first hand.

One of my favourite leadership definitions comes from Warren Bennis:

“Leadership is the function of knowing yourself, having a vision that is well communicated, building trust among colleagues and taking action to realise your own leadership potential.”

I saw a poster last week, which I thought also gave some clues about some of the qualities of effective leaders. It said that leadership is about capturing the imagination and enthusiasm of your people with clearly defined goals that cut through the fog like a beacon in the night.

Leaders have the ability to inspire people to go beyond what they think they are capable of doing. This includes making it possible for a group to attain a goal that was previously thought unattainable. They’re able to encourage their teams and individuals to be the best they can be. They do this by building trust, acting with consistency and fairness and motivating people by both words and deeds. I’m a big believer in people leading by example and modelling the behaviour and habits that they advocate. For me people walking their talk is essential.

As well as eliciting and securing the co-operation of others and encouraging greater collaboration, First Class leaders are able to get their team to buy into their vision of the future and the way to get there. They ask for ideas and input and listen well. They plan effectively and are great at following up and taking action on the plans they’ve set. They are exceptional at growing the motivation, engagement and commitment of others. Inspiring exceptional performance is second nature to them and they look to continuously improve and innovate.

I have detailed some tips below to create an environment for high performance. It may be that you don’t lead a team at the moment. If that is the case, consider how you can use some of the tips and leadership qualities in own life and work. Alternatively, are you able to encourage or influence greater use of some of the tips or qualities in the teams that you are part of?

Tips to create an environment for high performance

  • Set high standards, be a role model for positive behaviour and lead by example
  • Demonstrate and be clear about what people have to do to be successful
  • Devise and set clear targets. Be clear and open about how performance will be measured, monitored, recognised and rewarded.
  • Focus on the tasks and actions that matter most, serve customers best interests and are the most efficient, productive and profitable for the team and business. Ditch the rest.
  • Develop an environment where people understand the boundaries that they can operate in. One where they feel trusted supported, empowered to act and take decisions. I call this freedom within a framework
  • Be consistent and fair in the way that you manage and treat your team

This week, why not take a few moments to reflect on your own personal leadership qualities. What would you like to develop and use more of in your personal and professional lives?

This week’s quotation:

“The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.” Ray Kroc.

If you would like to dedicate some time developing your leadership skills, please contact me to arrange a no obligation free consultation and to discuss my 30 item leadership development questionnaire which is used in conjunction with my First Class leadership model.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk