Leadership and Influence

What is the biggest role of a leader? I’d be interested to see the range of responses to this question. However, I’d like to suggest that the answer is Influencing.

If you are a good leader, you have the ability to influence your team (and beyond them, any stakeholders in the workplace) to achieve great things. When you are able to do this, leadership is less complicated.

To do this effectively, you need to:

- Provide a clear message that can’t be misinterpreted.

- Ensure that this message provides a common purpose to everyone.

- Enable a win/win feeling where everyone is invested in the success of the team, and hence the business.

- Understand each individuals motivators (the what’s in it for me) and relate that to the work that they do

- Communicate well. That means listening as much as talking, and acting on the teams input.

- Set an example of the correct behaviour in your actions. Walk the Talk.

- Recognise good behaviour and call out positive actions to enable learning for the whole team.

- Be Transparent, Dependable and Decisive (make the tough calls when they’re needed).

- Be Supportive

- Enable a no blame culture and learn from mistakes, sharing lessons with everyone.

- Seek Feedback from the team members, which will provide a sense of control for them.

- Create a sense of belonging and unity across the team

Above all, be your authentic self. That means showing your vulnerability and your human side.

If you get this right, then the other roles that you might think are key to leadership become easier.