The 21st Century Leader- Part 3
It is true that the modern day employee wants to be led and follow a passionate leader. When a leader is passionate, his team around him feel a deep sense of being led in a worthy direction by someone who is truly committed to something more important than just revenue. This leader shows that he cares mostly about the people who are involved in the effort to get the organisation where it needs to be, not only the bottom line on which the employees are contributing towards, and in turn brings out the best in them. Passion for the assignment at hand, for the company in general, and mostly for the people involved on a day to day basis is the key to successful leadership.
“Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” Sam Walton
Lastly Jack Welch said,
“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.”
It’s all about wanting to bring out the best in people and looking for the next you to fill that seat – succession planning. A true leader must make it their responsibility that every team member in your organisation is given enough support and resources to be able to move to the next level, whatever that level is. Every leader early on in their role must identify a successor/s and groom them to be able to take over the reigns, from the moment they step into those shoes themselves. As a leader you need to be identify and develop the people in your team, who have the potential to fill key business leadership positions in the organisation. This will also mean identifying ways in which you can bring out the best in people.
Succession planning increases the availability of experienced and capable team members that are prepared to assume these roles as they become available. This will mean allowing members of your team to assume leadership positions from time to time, to test their ability, and in order for any leader to do this, they will need to show one trait that is very difficult for most of us….humility. As a leader will need to understand that as they lead and they are praised, ultimately it is you who will have done the hard work, even though you are not in the limelight. As a leader it is never about the limelight shining on you ever, then it becomes all about yourself, than your team, as the saying goes, you can lead if no one if following!
In the end this can all be summarised in just one quote,
“The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men, the conviction and the will to carry on.”
Written by Zaar Mabuto – Mavundla
Executive Partner at Mindcor Executive Search and Consulting