I recently searched on Google for the term “leadership”, and in 0.31 seconds I had 491 million results. So much has been written about the subject over the years, yet so many organizations still struggle to discover and develop leaders.
Possible explanation for this could be that for years we assumed high-level performers in organizations should be the obvious choice to become leaders. However, this has not always been the case. Just ask anyone who was passionate about their work and considered to be a high-level performer, then received a promotion to a leadership role only to find themselves a few years later missing doing what they truly loved. The truth of the matter is that since the market downturn in 2008-2009, we have been living in very challenging times. There have been many changes in the economy and lots of uncertainty about the future. However, think about all the leaders who led organizations through the Great Depression or the Industrial Revolution. Were those historical times less challenging for those leaders? Probably not.
One thing is certain: being a strong leader is challenging within any organization at any time. We might have persuaded ourselves otherwise because of what we have seen on TV or in the movies. But leadership is hard work, and that is where the age-old phrase “it’s lonely at the top” comes from.
Often I am asked: what are some of the great habits that leaders have? That could be a lengthy list, but here are some of the main habits I see great leaders exhibiting within their roles and within our modern day world.
Focus
Focus is often referred to as the foundational performance habit of them all. Like great athletes, great leaders have a tremendous capacity to focus and remain focused on what it is they need to do. With so many distractions coming at them at a rapid pace from so many directions, their ability to remain focused allows them to make smart decisions. If you have aspirations to become a leader in your organization, having the ability to focus and stay focused will determine your direction and rate of progress.
Being present
Closely related to one’s ability to stay focused is a person’s ability to be present in what they are doing. Now, when I talk about presence, I am not referring to the Zen state of presence, although the two are closely related. Rather, the ability to fully connect to what you are doing, without judgement or thought of what it is you need to be doing next. I worked with a business leader 10 years ago, and anytime he had a conversation with his team, he would just listen to what they had to say, with no thoughts about his next meeting or all his other daily demands. His complete presence gave his employees the feeling their leader understood and respected their ideas and thoughts about the company.
Perspective
Things are good, things are bad. Sales are at 110% of forecast or struggling at 75% of forecast. No matter what the issue, challenge or victory is, great leaders have the ability to maintain their perspective. They don’t allow themselves to get caught up in the emotion of an event. They simply maintain their perspective and ensure the people they lead remain motivated, focused and have the resources they need to perform at their best. Sometimes leaders like this can come across as somewhat removed or distant from a given situation; in fact, they are not — they just don’t allow themselves to get caught up in the roller coaster effect of the event.
Having an abundant source of information on leadership is fantastic. Thanks to modern modes of communication we can now quickly share ideas and experiences on leadership across the world, and communicate unique challenges and opportunities we may face in a leadership role. Having said that, nothing will change the fact that being a leader is really hard work. If you are in a leadership role now, you know what I am talking about, and if you aspire to become a leader in the future, start learning and practicing all the performance skills, attitudes and habits that will make you a great leader. And when the day comes, you will be a better leader, and the people you lead will be loyal and supportive of the direction in which you take your organization.
All the best in achieving your highest performance.
Paul
Image courtesy of zirconicusso at FreeDigitalPhotos.net