Leadership skills are changing... are yours?

Leadership skills are changing... are yours?

Bob ‘Idea Man’ Hooey, leadership speaker

If you truly seek to be an effective 21st century leader, a reflective look at this list of leadership styles, activities or attributes would be a wise investment for your future success.

Use these questions as an informal leadership audit and a checklist on how you measure up. Use them as a guide for continued improvement and honing your skills.

Ask yourself how many of these you exhibit, as you seek to lead those who have entrusted you with their concerns?

 ·        What needs to change?

·        When will you act to change?

·        Who will you ask for help?

Responsible

 Do you take full responsibility for your actions and decisions? Do you also take responsibility for your team’s results? Responsibility, regardless, if those results are positive or negative. Leaders support and stand behind the actions of those they lead. No avoidance or evasiveness!

Growing

Are you a leader, on the grow, who is committed to seeking out new ideas, new methods, and new alliances to help serve those you lead? Are you a leader who is also a reader? Leaders exhibit an increased appetite to learn and find out how things work!

Exemplary

Do you walk your talk? Do your motives, actions, and attitudes reflect the character you would honestly like to see developed? People will follow your lead when you walk your talk and lead by example.

Inspiring

Do you inspire confidence and trust in those who follow you? Can you call them to action, in solving your mutual challenges? Remember, if no one follows you, you are a leader in name only. Leadership is a lifestyle, not a label. If they see it in your actions, it will translate to their own actions.

Efficient

How are you on using your time wisely and ‘leveraging’ the time of those you serve? Do they see you using your time in productive activities on their behalf? Do you have time to fully do your job, enhance your career, or lead your team to increased success?

Caring

Do your people know from experience that you care about them? Do you model it? Someone once told me, “They will not care how much you know, until they know how much you care!” When they can see your commitment to them, they will follow you through hell and high water to succeed.

Communicating

How are you at sharing your ideas, at listening to the needs and concerns of your people, and in making sure that you fully understand them? Do you make sure they are well informed about what the challenges and your proposed solutions to those changes entail? Have you taken training to enhance your communication skills?

Goal oriented

Are you a leader who is effective in setting realistic goals, communicating those goals, and gathering people to support the attainment of those goals? Above all, are you a leader who achieves the worthwhile goals set for the common good?

Decisive

Can you make an informed decision and quickly act on that decision? Do you study a challenge to death and continually put off making a decision while waiting for more information? There are times when a decision has to be made without all of the facts – are you willing to do so?

Competent

This strikes at the heart of your ability to deliver the goods for your people. Are you competent to do the job and do it well? This is where you walk your talk and lead by example. They have to see it to believe it! If they see your expertise or competence, they are more open to your coaching or critiquing them in their roles. They may just put your ideas into action too!

Unifying

Are you a leader who seeks to include everyone involved and works hard to make sure no-one is excluded? Are you a leader who builds bonds between diverse groups, many with conflicting agendas and viewpoints? Are you a leader who can earn their trust and allow them to get past their divisiveness to get behind you in accomplishing something which is for everyone’s best interest? Are you a catalyst for commitment?

Working

Are you a leader who is committed to working on behalf of those who trust you? A leader who is not afraid to get their hands dirty, to dig in and lead by example, to do what is needed to get the job done successfully? Are you a leader who sets an energetic pace and is fully engaged on working out the solutions and to engaging people in the partnership of performance in achieving common goals?

Tough list, isn’t it? But, if you would truly seek to be an effective 21st century leader, these are the skills that will assist you in successfully serving and leading your people. Are you willing to change and challenge your growth?

© 2020 Bob ‘Idea Man’ Hooey excerpted from Courage to Lead

Bob ‘Idea Man’ Hooey, DTM, PRA, CKD-Emeritus, Accredited Speaker, 2011 Spirit of CAPS recipient is an inspirational leader, speaker, and a prolific author whose works include ‘Legacy of Leadership, Strive for significance – lead on purpose!’, ‘Speaking for Success’ and ‘The Courage to Lead!’ His articles have been featured in a multitude of North American trade and global consumer publications. He is a respected leader who has been honored by CAPS, NSA, Toastmasters, and the United Nations for his leadership contributions. His creative Ideas At Work have allowed him to travel the globe sharing insights, encouragement in 61 countries, so far. With Covid-19 he has been zooming around the globe to share his ideas. His innovative Ideas At Work! have been successfully applied by global leaders as well as Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies. Visit his website: www.ideaman.net and engage him to work with your leaders.