In tough economic times, there is nothing worse than a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde leadership style.
Nothing is more exasperating to employees than trying to guess which leader is going to show up for work.
There is not a person in the world who wishes for inconsistency, including leaders themselves.
Think of it this way. Nature has rhythms that can vacillate between flood and droughts, temperature extremes and violent storms. Everyone dislikes drastic changes, and sometimes they come at a dear price.
Everyone wishes for consistency, especially in their leaders.
Follow-through and faith
While consistent leadership is important, beyond inconsistency, another attribute of poor leadership is a lack of follow-through. Nothing gets done, and that is why company growth fails to meet expectations.
Leaders need to look in the mirror before they accuse anyone on staff of having a lack of follow-through. During economic turmoil, leaders need to set the example for those they lead. A lack of follow-through by leadership is like salt in an organizational wound.
Then, there's faith, which is a belief, duty or trust in a concept that has no proof. Leaders must have faith in the people they lead, and specifically, faith that their employees can and will become ardent champions in helping the company survive.
Leaders believe in the positive of people. They believe that no matter what tough decisions the company may have to make, the fabric of the organization contains the faith that people are good.
When decisions are made that require the exit of an employee, they are done with dignity and without malice. Faith requires leaders to be resilient and support this faith in people, even when others may not. Leaders must take the high road and not get sucked into a mire of negativity.
The art of planning
Leaders, in time, have to move on, and how they achieve this is critical to the future of their companies. Great leaders begin working themselves out of a job from Day 1. From that day forward, they are focused on a common vision shared by all. They communicate this vision relentlessly.
Leaders teach their employees how to think and act like owners by teaching them the business. This is done through open-book management, involvement in strategy and planning, and through processes that allow employees to give input into business decisions.
Great leadership incorporates a succession planning process from early on.
Leaders are constantly evaluating who is ready for a new leadership role, when it is the right time for new leadership and what is best for the company. There is ample opportunity for leadership training for the next generation through mentoring, training, and education, which is succession planning is its finest form.
When succession planning is done through grooming younger employees to move into leadership, it is easy for great leaders to say that they have worked themselves out of jobs with complete calm and peacefulness.
During these times of economic turmoil, leaders - and those who wish to become leaders - take pride in the consistent way they manage the successes and troubles of the company. They are zealots in following through on their commitments and the commitments of the organization.
Leaders have faith in people, even when these people may have to exit the company for tough reasons. Great leaders understand how to exit gracefully and not by force. The leaders who are admired and respected practice all of these leadership traits.
For those who wish to become leaders, these characteristics are just a small part of the puzzle that reinforces what great leadership looks like.[[In-content Ad]]
Victor Aspengren is a coach with Springfield-based Great Game of Business. He may be reached at victor@greatgame.com.
