While certain people may be given more authority (‘in charge’)… leading is actually a choice. It’s not a title. It’s not a position. It’s not a rank. It’s choice. It’s a mindset. Regardless of where you fall on the org chart, you, decide whether or not you are a leader.
1. AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP
- Relationships (77%)
- Teamwork (67%)
- Job satisfaction (61%)
- Productivity (53%)
The foundation of effective leadership is acknowledging you must connect before you coach. Connect 1st. Coach 2nd.
Everyone talks. Some people listen. Very few connect. And connection creates buy-in and believe-in.
As a personal audit, here are some internal and reflective questions leaders must ask themselves consistently:
- Do I have people that make my team better?
- Do I have a culture that makes my people better?
- Do I have the right people on my team?
- Do they care about the vision/mission?
- Do they care about their teammates?
- Do they care about improvement?
2. ROLE CLARITY
- Things I’m really good at and I really enjoy
- Things I’m OK at and I don’t mind doing
- Things I’m not very good at and I don’t like doing
Efficiency, productivity, and job satisfaction skyrocket by eliminating #3. One person’s #3 will be another person’s #1!
It should be to no surprise that a Gallop poll of thousands of organizations showed that when management focused on an employee’s strength – the employee’s level of engagement was 75%. When they didn’t? 9%. You can conclude how that affects productivity.
Here are 3 weekly questions leaders must ask to ensure high levels of engagement:
- What did you do this week that you want to do more of?
- What did you do this week that you want to do less of?
- How did you use your strengths this week?
The goal is to make sure everyone in the organization knows, understands and embraces their role. To do that, you must clearly establish and communicate each individual’s role, create buy-in and believe-in with their role and openly praise those that star in their role (regardless of what it is). The most influential leaders go out of their way to acknowledge and praise the ‘smaller’ roles.
3. GENUINE COHESION
Improve your team’s cohesion with ‘10 Assists’ (Credit to Rich Sheubrooks)
4. CREATING STANDARDS
Rules are decided by the top, handed down the org chart, and expected to be followed blindly. Standards are collectively agreed upon (giving everyone on the team a voice) and collectively upheld.
Why is this important? People will always give a better effort when they feel like they have a voice and feel like their voice matters. Effective leaders realize that people should always have a say in the work they help create and they always involve people in the work that directly affects them.
Your identity is the collective answer to these questions:
- Who are you?
- What do you believe?
- What do you stand for?
- What is your philosophy?
- What is your mission?
Your standards are the code you live by to uphold your identity. If you want to immediately raise your performance… raise your standards!
5. COLLECTIVE ACCOUNTABILITY
To lay this foundation, these 4 questions should be asked of every team member:
- Are you coachable?
- Do you give me permission to coach you?
- Do you give me permission to hold you accountable?
- How do you want me to hold you accountable? It should be made clear that, ‘You are responsible for your role and you are accountable to our team.’ And when it comes to accountability, you either accept it or you correct it!
6. BUILDING CULTURE
I’m willing to bet if you ask everyone on your team to define it you will get a wide variety of answers. How can you expect to collectively improve a trait that each of them defines differently?
A positive culture increases efficiency, effectiveness and productivity. A poor culture lowers morale, increases attrition, and undermines every aspect of team cohesion.
People are not loyal to jobs. They are not loyal to businesses. They are loyal to other people. And effective leadership creates strong loyalty. And loyalty creates commitment. And commitment strengthens culture.
One of the glues of a strong culture is showing appreciation. Regardless of what business you are in, your people are your primary competitive advantage. And people need to feel appreciated. You can copy products. You can copy services. You can copy technology. It’s very hard to copy people (thus culture).
Alan Stein, Jr. teaches proven strategies to improve organizational performance, create effective leadership, increase team cohesion and collaboration, and develop winning mindsets, rituals, and routines. View Alan’s website HERE.