Following on from yesterday’s post in which we saw the five qualities that make a good leader we are going to move on today to look at what a good leader actually does.

But just before that a quick reminder of the five qualities.

• Authenticity
• Ability to see around corners
• Ability to build a team around them of smarter people
• Resilience
• Accountability

So we are now ready to move on. Again, as a basis, I am using Jack Welch’s (hereby abbreviated to JW) thoughts from his book “Winning”, but have added my own peculiar twist.

JW – Leaders relentlessly upgrade their team, using every encounter as an opportunity to evaluate, coach, and build self-confidence.

Leaders should always be looking to improve and develop their people so that not only do they become better at their jobs but they become better people for it. However, certainly in a European context using every encounter can be a bit much. I know one lady who works in a senior managerial / project leading role and because she takes this approach she is considered to be too aggressive in selling it to her people and they have openly admitted to me that they actively avoid her if they can. Additionally, if only confidence is built, the end result can just be bluster and hot air, it has to go hand in hand with competence development.

JW – Leaders make sure people not only see the vision, they live and breathe it.

For people “to get it” they truly have to believe what they are investing themselves into. An early mentor of mine once said to me that “you have to believe that you believe what you believe to have any chance of inspiring others” – and even 30+ years later those words still resonate because they are absolutely true. Vision is exactly what it says it is. It is how you observe an end point on something you are working on.

JW – Leaders get into everyone’s skin, exuding positive energy and optimism.

This reminds me of what I said about Ady a couple of posts ago. I, and I don’t think I was alone here, always wanted him to stop talking so I could get on with achieving what he was looking for. There was nothing wrong with the way he spoke, it is just that he got under our skin and drove us to want to get on with it straight away. A good leader should always be able to create this level of agitation to motivate us.

JW – Leaders establish trust with candour, transparency, and credit.

Absolutely nothing to add to this but a bit of elaboration. Candour means direct honesty, it doesn’t mean being brutal but it is not sugarcoating either. One thing I do is set a benchmark before my people and then they will know if they are under or over achieving and that then invites direct feedback which of course should be non-offensive. Credit should go to where it belongs – in other words the person / people who actually did the work. Good leaders make it about the team and not about themselves. This should all be done in a clearly understandable manner.

JW – Leaders have the courage to make unpopular decisions and gut calls.

It’s tough at the top they say, and this is why. Being a leader is not a beauty pageant. Of course, it is nice to be liked and popular but that is not why you are a leader. You have to make the hard decisions and make sure that things happen. Ultimately it always comes down to deliverables and how they are delivered – that’s the bottom line with no deviating to the left or right.

JW – Leaders probe and push with a curiosity that borders on scepticism, making sure their questions are answered with action.

I must emphasise, from the outset, that JW is not trying to cause doubt, but what such questions do is ensure that the plan is well thought through, including aspects of contingency, budgetary requirements and legal compliance among other things. This approach ensures due diligence and responsibility.

JW – Leaders inspire risk taking and learning by setting the example

Risk of course has to be managed and defined by risk appetite (which I simply define as what you are willing to lose), but leaders who are timid and play it safe will never serve to be an example of what they want their people to aspire to.

JW – Leaders celebrate.

JW argues that celebration is good for motivation and project closure but interestingly he goes out of his way to emphasise that celebrating should actually be celebratory and enjoyable. A black-tie formal dinner on project completion might not be the way to go and especially if you sit the key player in the project delivery next to the CEO – it can make for awkward situations. Rather find out what the team enjoy, get them pizza, give them a night out on the company or go bowling – or frankly do what you like so long as it is celebratory.

Within all of these aspects I must emphasise that it is the leader that creates the culture through his / her behaviour towards others and their openness to new projects, new ideas and risk, as well as their need to believe in what they are doing.

As always stay safe and well my friends.