OPTIMAL EDGE

Leadership Fundamentals

Leaders are architects, designers, planners who make practical, sensible, and realistic decisions on how their companies, organisations, or nation will operate. They are also visionary, imaginative, and creative in their action and conduct; and they are accountable for the narratives and stories that reinforce, sustain, uplifts and moves and drives their companies, organisations, or nation forward. When employees (in the case of companies), stakeholders (members of non-profit organisation), and people (citizens in case of a nation) see these qualities in their leader, they are much more likely to respond in a positive way that will affect the company, organisation, or nation in kind, and progressively.

"The leader has to be practical and a realist; yet he must talk the language of the visionary and the idealist."

- Eric Hoffer

Let’s take for example the high-stakes world of business, where we constantly see CEOs being replaced. Why? Well, for one reason or another, they fail to meet the expectations of their shareholders. When it comes to corporations and groups that report to a board of directors, chapter chairs, general membership and stakeholders; or whose perceived success or failure is tied to the price of their stock, the expectation is a simple one: profit, expansive membership drive, loyalty and funds raised; or efficient and effective generation and application of resources (in case of a nation). The bottom line often drives every decision made by the leaders of those groups. But how does this management style affect the rest of the company, organisation, or nation?

"A true leader creates a culture of spirits and hearts not just heads and hands"
- Ed Konczal

Anyone who has ever worked in an environment where profit came before people would know the answer. Relatively, it goes against our natural instincts as caring human beings. According to a study performed by three high-profile scholars from Harvard Business School, “An individual experiences work as meaningful when it is perceived to be an enactment of values and a purpose to which the organisation subscribes.” If employees, and stakeholders don’t find a sense of purpose in their work, and a sense of belonging (in the case of organisation membership) they might as well not be there at all. This sense of meaning is driven by their leader, whose responsibilities are both practical and symbolic.

"Leadership is influence. It is the ability to obtain followers. When the leader lacks confidence, the followers have no commitment. A leader is great not because of his power, but because of his ability to empower others"
- John Maxwell

The exceptional leader’s accomplishments differentiate greatly from financial success to personal success. His or her fulfillment does not come from personal aggrandizement, title, and what he or she amasses, but from the lasting impact he or she can help instill in others. He or she constantly strives to improve his or her own leadership skills through influence, so he or she can, in turn, help to improve the leadership skills of countless others.

"Leadership is not a magnetic personality - that can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not 'making friends and influencing people' - that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a person's vision to high sights, the raising of a person's performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations."
- Peter Drucker

So how have you defined success in your life? When you are driven by your convictions and your desire to find a sense of fulfilment in your work, instead of just the title to boost your ego, or a pay check; your team or organisation will instinctively follow. You are, after all, their leader. It’s important to note that if visionaries set out to simply acquire and hold on to position for ego, or just to make a living, our world would not be the same.

When your convictions come to the forefront and your desire to lead toward fulfillment breaks through, only then will you be able to exponentially elevate your capabilities as a leader.

"Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitudes and in actions."

- Harold Geneen

Are You Leadership Material?

Are you in a position of leadership for the right reasons: If you are; let’s assume that you have the desire to become better, and more. The following Seven Fundamentals of Effective and Extraordinary Leadership can assist you as you strive to become an even more effective leader in your life. Read these Seven Fundamentals and grade yourself on a scale of 1 – 10. If there is an area that may need improvement, make a commitment to improve it. Step up and do it today! It’s what leaders do:

Vision: To be effective a leader has to have a clear vision. A sense of mission or purpose will drive both you and those around you.
Conviction: A leader must be convinced that he or she is doing the right thing. A strong sense of conviction will allow you to get the job done no matter what.
Passion: The leader must exude passion and be able to communicate and transfer his or her vision and mission to others by moving them emotionally.
Strategy: A leader has to be a strategist. You have to be able to know how to get from Point A to Point Z, using a specific approach that is well thought out.
Humility: A leader must be humble and humane to the core. A leader must show compassion; often times be flexible and display some humour to effectively bring balance to your personality – It will help you not to take yourself too seriously.
Rapport: A leader must be likable. Building rapport allows others to see your passion and sense of certainty, which will heighten your effectiveness.
Consistency: A leader must be consistent. Being consistent as a leader will make you believable and effective.