Real world leadership

©iStockphoto.com/danleap It has never been more critical to have real leaders to help navigate businesses through the many obstacles that we are facing with today’s economic reality.

Businesses scrambling to adjust, there is pressure to perform at new levels and  we are being pulled in several directions. So why do some companies falter in times like these and why do some companies flourish? The answer often rests at the feet of the leader.

The root cause for success or failure is a result of the leadership of the organization. So let’s look at what real leaders need to do to best position their organizations for success in today’s reality.

Managers vs. Leaders
Are you leading your organization or are you just managing the day-to-day tasks as they arrive at your door? The first step to become a real leader is to get real with yourself. Take an honest look at yourself and see if you spend more of your time leading or managing.
Read the following list of traits for managers and leaders. Choose which sentences best describe you.

• Managers get tied up with administrating; leaders innovate.
• Managers spend more time maintaining the business; leaders develop it.
• Managers focus on systems; leaders focus on people.
• Managers rely on control; leaders inspire trust.
• Managers look at behavioral action; leaders engage in emotional connection.
• Managers have a short -range view; leaders have a long-range perspective.
• Managers ask how and when; leaders ask what and why.
• Managers use authority; leaders use influence.
• Managers delegate to people; leaders motivate employees.

So where do you stand right now? Do you spend more time and energy managing or are you rising above the day-to-day encounters and leading your organization?

Get a Real Perspective
Once you have an idea of your leadership strenghts and weaknesses, try having some of your people rate you in these same areas. Compare them with how you perceive yourself as a leader. Try to get some input from different levels of your organization: your leadership team, your administrative/sales team, your foremen/supervisors, and from your coach or advisory board.

Rate Your Company, Too
After you have clearly identified your strengths and areas for development, see how they match up with your organization’s key measurable performance areas. These are how you define your company’s success, and can include:

• revenue growth;
• gross margin;
• client satisfaction/retention;
• safety;
• quality of work; and
• key employee retention.

Link Your Skills
Now look at how well your organization is performing in these areas and where your skills or areas of development are helping – or hindering – in achieving your organization’s success.

Are you encouraging innovation? Or are you stuck doing things the way you have always done them? Are you trying to do all of the sales efforts yourself, but, in reality, you lack solid sales skills? Is your gross margin slipping, or have you implemented great ideas to increase them? Are your people empowered and coming up with excellent solutions or are they waiting for your orders before making any moves?

Conclusion
Understanding what skills and behaviors you as the leader currently have and which ones need to be changed or development can help your organization thrive in today’s challenging reality. And you’ll be there leading the charge.

The author is the head harvester at The Harvest Group. Send him an e-mail at barman@gie.net.