84 / UNDERSTANDING LEADERSHIP
Defining the challenge
Thinking leadership
Leaders are made rather than born. And while a real
desire to lead is a prerequisite for leadership, the key
skills you need to lead can be learned. Leadership has
many facets and no simple definition: it is the ability to
inspire and encourage others to overcome challenges,
accept continuous change, and achieve goals; it is
the capacity to build strong, effective teams; and it
is the process of using your influence to persuade
and steer. Leaders set a strong example through their
own life principles; they achieve results but also take
responsibility for failure. A life principle may be a rule,
belief, or moral code that is important to you and
guides your decision-making throughout life.
If you thrive on thinking creatively, inspiring and guiding people,
experimenting with different approaches, and making intuitive
decisions, you are on the way to being a leader. However,
truly accomplished leaders also possess sound analytical
and problem-solving skills.
BE AGILE
To be a good leader, stay close
to your team, and use your
judgment to move between
leadership and management
roles as necessary.
Tip
MANAGEMENT
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DEFINING THE CHALLENGE / 85
Leading and managing
Leadership is a substantially different
role from management. A leader is
someone who makes decisions and
communicates bold messages, while
a manager implements strategies,
measures performance, and runs
systems. You probably aspire to be
called a leader rather than a manager.
Being a leader is exciting; being a
manager is mundane. Of course, like
most stereotypes, the statements above
contain a measure of truth, but sound
management requires some leadership,
and great leaders are—or at least know
what it takes to be—good managers.
When you move into a leadership
role you won’t and can’t abandon
managing altogether; to be credible as
a leader, you need to acknowledge the
past and what is currently happening, at
the same time as focusing on the future.
Learning quickly what motivates
team members
Asking your team for their view
on the situation
Thinking beyond what happens in
the short term
Knowing how to train and develop
your team
Setting standards to build a team
you can rely on
Thinking yesterday’s result will
still count tomorrow
Being out of touch with your
own emotions
Not noticing what is going on
around you
Not asking for feedback on your
leadership and ideas
Not keeping physically fit and
thinking positively
BEING A LEADER
Do’s Don’ts
A leader makes decisions
and communicates bold
messages, a manager
implements strategies,
measures performance,
and runs systems
LEADERSHIP
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