Kris's Articles


What does it take to be a great leader?

Being a great leader has nothing to do with education, ego or temperament, it's what they do that makes them great…

Have you ever had the pleasure and privilege of working for a great leader? Mine was a Scotsman named Hal McGhee. I was a fresh young graduate with all the wrong ideas. Hal never made me feel silly or wrong, though. He kept handing me difficult assignments and when I protested I‘d never done anything like that before, he’d say: ‘I know you can do this! You’ll work it out and you can always check back with me if you’re stuck’. Hal guided me to become a professional young training officer who could think for herself and confidently tackle tough assignments.

Since then, I’ve had the opportunity and satisfaction of working as a consultant with many great leaders, in just about every industry and on every continent except Antarctica. Sadly, I’ve also met many mediocre leaders.

What’s the difference? It certainly has nothing to do with education, temperament, or the size of their ego.

In my experience, it’s what someone does that makes them a great leader. I’ve found that all great leaders do five things. Anyone can do them -- all it takes is some thought, some willingness, and getting into the habit.

  1. Paint the picture.
    Great leaders establish a clear vision that everyone can understand and relate to. Whether it’s for their department, their organisation or their local church fair, they keep talking about the goal and why it’s important until everyone buys into it and sees the same thing. Their vision is invariably demanding and worthwhile.

    They make sure everyone knows what they have to do to achieve it. And they continually track progress against the goals, so that everyone knows, all the time, how they’re progressing.

  2. Use and strengthen the team resources.
    Failing to develop your team weakens you as a leader. Great leaders look for, and know how to develop, people’s potential. Andrew Carnegie, a penniless Scottish immigrant who became the wealthiest person in the United States, said:

    ”Men are developed the same way gold is mined. Several tons of dirt must be moved to get one ounce of gold. But one doesn't go into the mine looking for the dirt. One goes in looking for the gold.”

    Great leaders find and polish people’s gold. They know that just as money is useless to you until you part with it, people’s skills and talents are useless until you draw on them. Great leaders seek input from their people and involve them in developing plans and making decisions. They gather ideas, listen, train, delegate, and coach. They build people’s inner resources.

    They also find ways to provide the external resources they need. Time, money, information, equipment, support and encouragement.

    Then they stand back and watch people flourish.

  3. Make people feel like winners.
    Only people who feel like winners can turn in a winning performance. Great leaders instil in people a desire to succeed and pride in achievement. This propels them to continue in the same vein.

    They’re no slouches, though. In fact, great leaders are pretty tough. They set high standards high standards and expect the best. For them, mediocrity and excellence are both choices.

    Great leaders choose excellence every time. They’re the ones who assign the tough assignments and expect the best from their people. They don’t settle for anything less.

    When we set tough goals, mistakes are bound to happen. People who work for great leaders know they can go to them if they’ve made a mistake. They know their leader will help them solve the problem and turn the mistake into a learning opportunity.

  4. Create a sense of openness and fun.
    If people aren’t enjoying what they’re doing, how can they do a great job? They may set exacting standards, but great leaders also create a feeling of informality, enjoyment and even excitement in the workplace.

  5. Focus on how to do things better.
    Even if it isn’t broken, great leaders find ways to improve and fine-tune everything, however incrementally. This takes flexibility and the ability and willingness to think ‘outside the box’.

    They employ what I call the Kaizen Cycle. As you probably know, kaizen is a Japanese word meaning ‘continuous incremental improvements’. Great leaders stand back, objectively review what they’ve done, evaluate it, and look for ways to refine and improve it. They use the Kaizen Cycle to improve their own performance as a leader. They use it with their teams to improve work systems and procedures. They use it to improve the way everyone works together to achieve their vision.

Hal McGhee did each one of these five things and so has every other great leader I’ve met and worked with. How about you?

If you'd like Kris to contribute to your publication, she will be happy to explore the opportunity.

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