WHAT DISTINGUISHES THE BEST LEADERS FROM MEDIOCRE ONES?
Is it their ability to make good decisions, their charismatic persuasiveness, or the clarity of their vision? And do the best leaders have these qualities naturally or were they acquired at school?
The good news is that you can learn to be a leader, just as long as you take time to learn fundamental leadership skills. However, your effectiveness depends on how you apply these skills.
So, what do you have to learn if you want to be a better leader? And do you need to go to business school to learn these things, or can you learn them on the job?
Attempts have been made to answer these questions by studying the connection between formal education and successful leadership.
The good news is that you can learn to be a leader, just as long as you take time to learn fundamental leadership skills. However, your effectiveness depends on how you apply these skills.
A popular conclusion based on research is that a formal business education, such as an MBA, was not a good predictor of long-term leadership success. In the end, it would appear that what is relevant to underline is that four key skills define successful leadership.
- Good decision-making
- Successful problem finding
- Effective opportunity finding
- Leadership style
By developing your skills in these fundamental areas, you can lead people, and inspire them to change. You can also be dynamic and effective in how you tackle the challenges you face every day.
Let’s look at these four skill areas in more detail.
Decision-making
Leaders need to be able to solve problems effectively and make good decisions. But decision-making and problem-solving skills are commonly taught – so, with all those problem-solvers out there, why can good leaders be so hard to find?
According to research, the difference often lies in your approach to finding solutions. If you deal with a problem believing that you have to find the “right answer,” this can actually lead to failure.
After all, you can analyze a problem forever, and still not be 100 percent sure that your solution is the best. The only way to assess your decision is by looking back, after the fact. Even then, there are sometimes too many variables to determine whether or not you definitely chose the right course of action.
‘Ultimately, what sets apart effective leaders is that they know how to decide. They know when to take the time to use analytical and thorough decision-making processes.’
Effective leaders use practical and responsive approaches to decision making. They know that you can’t wait to make a perfect decision; when you’re in the middle of a situation, you have to be confident enough to do what needs to be done right now. This means you must quickly evaluate the situation and take an action that has a high probability of success. The decisions that these leaders make under pressure may not be perfect but they’re consistent with the desired outcome.
Good leaders also know that problem solving and decision-making aren’t entirely rational processes. We all have emotions, so completely objective decisions don’t really exist. Successful leaders, therefore, use critical thinking, a technique that questions every step of their thinking processes, to manage the subjective side of decision-making.
Ultimately, what sets apart effective leaders is that they know how to decide. They know when to take the time to use analytical and thorough decision-making processes. They know when to engage the whole team, and when to make decisions on their own. This knowledge doesn’t come from a book but from practical experience. As a developing leader, look for opportunities to make decisions in a wide variety of situations so that you can gain that experience.
Problem finding
Leaders don’t simply solve problems that people bring to them – they look for problems that may be hidden. In other words, they often recognize potential issues before they become significant.
The quicker you discover a problem, the more time you have to find a solution, and the easier it is to tackle the problem before it becomes serious. Skilful leaders are proactive, and they continuously ask questions.
Opportunity finding
When you solve problems, you make sure the organization can continue on its defined path toward its goals. When you find opportunities, however, you focus on redefining – and hopefully improving – the company’s overall direction. It’s not about doing things right, but rather finding the right things to focus on.
Authentic leadership style
Finally, good leaders use effective styles of leadership. You may find all kinds of problems and opportunities, and you may make great decisions to move the organization forward – but if you can’t inspire people to take action, there’s little chance of success.
‘A large part of being an effective leader is the willingness to accept responsibility and accountability. This strengthens the integrity and trustworthiness of your actions, decisions, and motives.’
Research shows that there is no one and correct way to lead that should be used. Strong leaders recognize this and adapt their approach as needed. But they always use authentic styles that fit naturally with their personalities.
It’s also important to be inspirational – to lead by example your words, and your vision. Good leaders motivate, inspire trust, have a clear vision, are trustworthy, and are committed both to their people and to making the organization better.
A large part of being an effective leader is the willingness to accept responsibility and accountability. This strengthens the integrity and trustworthiness of your actions, decisions, and motives. By committing to an open and honest relationship with your superiors, peers, and staff, you can become a leader who motivates others to work with you to achieve a common goal.
APPLY THIS TO YOUR LIFE
- Challenge yourself to learn and use one new decision-making tool each week.
- Think about the last key decision you made.
– Did you use critical thinking as part of your process? How did that impact the result?
– Did you feel pressure to make the ‘right’ decision? If so, how did that affect the timeliness of your decision? - What problems can you see right now that your company should address? How can you help influence a solution – and will you do so?
- What opportunities can you see right now that your organization should pursue? Start creating a plan to evaluate your idea.
- Describe your natural leadership style. Think of a time when you acted as a leader, but you weren’t true to who you are – and perhaps used a style that didn’t naturally fit your personality. How did you feel, and how did it impact the effectiveness of your leadership?
Image: Pierre Amerlynck
