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Written for the Employmentpaper.com.
Businesses Today Need Leaders
By: Joyce Bender
Peter Drucker, the management guru, said "All I know about
leadership is that all leaders have only one thing in common:
followers!" This sounds obvious doesn't it? But the ability to get
people to become followers is an arduous task. Many employees tell
management early on, that their long-term goal is to move into a
management position in the company. But, to be an effective manager,
you must be an effective leader.
A leader has the ability to energize and motivate employees - they
become "bought into" the company's goals. Without leadership skills,
a manager becomes a taskmaster or a "senior-level administrator".
Interviewing many executives in Pittsburgh, like other cities in
the United States, the message is clear . . . "We need leaders".
Several corporations are offering training classes in leadership
skills or "what it takes to be a leader."
For the new employee in today's fast-paced work environment, where
everyone seems to be working in a 24x7 environment, the career
opportunities for a professional with leadership skills are
innumerable.
DOT-COM ventures need leaders that can energize employees to work
in unorthodox cultures at the "high caffeine level". Corporations
implementing multi-million dollar technology systems while remaining
"lean and mean" cry-out for leaders that can help them hit deadlines.
At the same time, while the country is at full-employment and the
scarcity of resources continues, companies need leaders to attract and
retain talented employees.
The many factors involved in becoming a great leader should not be
underestimated. Listed below are guidelines for the employee who
wants to move into a leadership (management) position in the
company.
- Take the role of a leadership position in the company
seriously. Never, ever, ever underestimate the impact you will have
on the career potential of employees that will use you as a role
model.
When Marlo Thomas spoke at Carlow College a few years ago, she said
to the young women aspiring to move into a leadership role, "Always
remember, a young girl is watching you". Always remember, an employee
or subordinate is watching you. You are a role model, and with that
comes great responsibility. Your actions will be seen by many as
"what it takes to be successful". After all, you are the leader, you
must be the best.
- A great leader motivates others to believe in themselves.
"Good leaders inspire people to have confidence in them; great
leaders inspire people to have confidence in themselves". Sam
Ewing, The Wall Street Journal
A great leader does not spend his/her career helping employees
realize how great he/she is. A great leader helps others realize the
inherent potential and talent the employee has.
- A leader is accountable.
An employee who desires moving into a leadership role in the
company must be accountable at all times. Accountability at work
means "no pointing the finger" at your own staff.
If a football team has a losing season, it is the coach who is
terminated . . . not the team.
- Leaders do the right thing.
Business ethics is taught at every major business university in the
country. When an employee moves into a leadership position, integrity
should not be an option, integrity is never compromised . . . it is
expected. Warren Bennis aptly stated, "Managers are people who do
things right and leaders are people who do the right thing".
- A leader always works to improve.
The minute a leader thinks he/she "knows it all" is the minute an
employee should find a new boss. It is the responsibility of a leader
to work to improve in his/her field throughout their career. In
addition, a great leader strives to educate himself/herself and
his/her staff to become better.
- A great leader "walks the talk".
A leader in a company cannot ask employees to volunteer time or
resources to The United Way, Epilepsy Foundation of Western PA, or any
other group if he/she does not lead the way.
- A leader surrounds himself/herself with great people.
When an individual moves into a leadership position, he/she will
not achieve great results from a poor team. Today, millions of
dollars are lost in the business world due to a bad hire. It is
imperative that a leader chooses a skillset to match the
expectations.
Richard Sloma, author of "The Turnaround Manager's Handbook" said
"People are a firm's most important asset. If you have an excellent
product but only mediocre people, the results will be only
mediocre."
Before anyone decides to move into a leadership position, it is
important to remember the weight it carries.
Businesses in America today need leaders to help them achieve their
corporate goals. You can help the company achieve its goals and
change the lives of many employees. A subordinate today . . . could
be tomorrow's CEO.
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