To compete successfully and prosper in today`s fast-paced environment means higher quality, an increase in productivity at the same time as lowering costs and allowing all stakeholders to share corporate wealth.
Leadership should be synonymous with a strong value system with elements such as integrity, fairness and respect for the individual and sensitivity for cultural diversity.
Jill Hamlyn, MD, The People Business
Organisations striving for excellence ensure their critical success factors and business goals are communicated to and understood by all employees. This means managers are under increased pressure to provide outstanding leadership which will hopefully result in increased staff performance and profitability.
Effective leadership, coupled with shared business goals communicated to all employees, will enable managers to retain and further develop their valuable IT human resources skills. Effective leadership as a manager incorporates the following goals:
- The ability to see the larger picture, to articulate and have the courage to pursue one`s vision. A leader needs to be able to point the way forward.
- To think freshly and creatively. The challenge here is to discipline your thinking by putting your ideas onto paper.
- Setting realistic goals and maintaining commitment in seeing them through to completion. You and your employees need to achieve and sustain commitment to a mission in order for peak performance to be reached.
- Questioning traditional methods and differentiating between real and imaginary obstacles. Focus on the challenge at hand and sift out priorities from other not-too-important demands.
- Adapting and embracing change. Remember that change can be used to your advantage.
Cultural diversity
Leadership should be synonymous with a strong value system with elements such as integrity, fairness and respect for the individual and sensitivity for cultural diversity - a quality especially important in SA today. This is significant in light of the changing labour legislation.
Employees appreciate a decisive leader, especially one who ensures the decision is soundly based and not impulsive. Such actions garner respect for and trust in the decision-making capabilities of the leader. Employers can set the right tone by their actions and beliefs, allowing for the creation of a clear and consistent team structure.
Within the team, leaders are faced with the challenge of recognising employees` "hot buttons" - the motivating factors of those team members who stand out and shine. This means identifying unique skills of individuals and the circumstances under which they will perform at their peak, thereby helping them to achieve their full potential.
At the same time, leaders are challenged to display concern and respect towards all individuals in the team, taking their emotions, aspirations, attitudes, opinions and feelings into account.
A difficult task
Although the rewards are high, it may well be said that a position of leadership is not at all an easy one. Team members may criticise their leader, but until they are in a similar position themselves, they cannot comprehend the challenges and difficulties that go with the territory.
Vision, shared goals and empowerment are pre-eminent qualities needed to be a truly successful leader in the future. The best leaders make winners of all they lead, having a clear knowledge of where they are going and a plan to get there.
Commitment to a mission, and capturing the imagination of their followers, is vital. Strong leadership is the essence of business success. To win, you need to be a good leader - or at least work for one.
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