Key traits of a world class leader
ARTICLE
Key traits of a world class leader EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Today’s fast-paced world of complex change demands world class leadership. Leaders who communicate the desired outcomes clearly and integrate strategy, change and transition will succeed where others have failed. This article embraces the concept of leaders providing the necessary support and guidance without limiting initiative, personal growth and development. These leaders take responsibility for results not being achieved and attribute successes to the team. We explore key traits of a world class leader in more detail.
When implementing change, an organization’s leader needs to provide answers to the following questions: • What changes will be implemented? And why? • How will these changes be implemented? And why? Answering the why gives meaning to an action course — the change — and also gives clarity about what improvements the new change will make. This vision then needs to be translated into concrete objectives and actions. Communicating the desired outcomes is clearly crucial to achieving the goals.
Communication is an invincible strategy for world class leadership and makes an enormous difference in employees’ attitudes toward the organization. 1 l
[email protected] www.traccsolution.com
A R T I C L E KEY TRAITS OF A WORLD CLASS LEADER A world class leader is someone whose communication ability has the most profound consequences on an organization’s success. Communication is an invincible strategy for world class leadership and makes an enormous difference in employees’ attitudes toward the organization. Achieving the How? presents leadership with the greatest challenge. There’s a delicate balance between providing sufficient support and guidance without limiting initiative or being too prescriptive. By allowing teams to take ownership of the How? leaders can enhance their growth and development. Employees at every level of
There’s a delicate balance between providing sufficient support and guidance without limiting initiative or being too prescriptive. the organization should understand what they need to do to achieve the goal. During the How? phase, leaders need to ask, “What is it that I do that prevents us from obtaining satisfying results?” This is because leaders should ultimately take responsibility when the desired result isn’t achieved and then work with their teams to remove obstacles to success. A leader also uses environmental changes to encourage movement. By changing the physical environment, behavior can be influenced. For example, visual boards can promote improved performance, while idea boards can enhance innovation. Therefore, leaders will always translate their vision directly into the environment and not merely into a pile of documents. The physical environment can also provide the fuel for personal development by giving feedback on how well a job is done. Finally, a world class leader is modest when successful and attributes successes to the team. With employees in the spotlight, success is viewed as a collective reward.
2 l
[email protected] www.traccsolution.com
US05/16
Key traits of a world class leader EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Today’s fast-paced world of complex change demands world class leadership. Leaders who communicate the desired outcomes clearly and integrate strategy, change and transition will succeed where others have failed. This article embraces the concept of leaders providing the necessary support and guidance without limiting initiative, personal growth and development. These leaders take responsibility for results not being achieved and attribute successes to the team. We explore key traits of a world class leader in more detail.
When implementing change, an organization’s leader needs to provide answers to the following questions: • What changes will be implemented? And why? • How will these changes be implemented? And why? Answering the why gives meaning to an action course — the change — and also gives clarity about what improvements the new change will make. This vision then needs to be translated into concrete objectives and actions. Communicating the desired outcomes is clearly crucial to achieving the goals.
Communication is an invincible strategy for world class leadership and makes an enormous difference in employees’ attitudes toward the organization. 1 l
[email protected] www.traccsolution.com
A R T I C L E KEY TRAITS OF A WORLD CLASS LEADER A world class leader is someone whose communication ability has the most profound consequences on an organization’s success. Communication is an invincible strategy for world class leadership and makes an enormous difference in employees’ attitudes toward the organization. Achieving the How? presents leadership with the greatest challenge. There’s a delicate balance between providing sufficient support and guidance without limiting initiative or being too prescriptive. By allowing teams to take ownership of the How? leaders can enhance their growth and development. Employees at every level of
There’s a delicate balance between providing sufficient support and guidance without limiting initiative or being too prescriptive. the organization should understand what they need to do to achieve the goal. During the How? phase, leaders need to ask, “What is it that I do that prevents us from obtaining satisfying results?” This is because leaders should ultimately take responsibility when the desired result isn’t achieved and then work with their teams to remove obstacles to success. A leader also uses environmental changes to encourage movement. By changing the physical environment, behavior can be influenced. For example, visual boards can promote improved performance, while idea boards can enhance innovation. Therefore, leaders will always translate their vision directly into the environment and not merely into a pile of documents. The physical environment can also provide the fuel for personal development by giving feedback on how well a job is done. Finally, a world class leader is modest when successful and attributes successes to the team. With employees in the spotlight, success is viewed as a collective reward.
2 l
[email protected] www.traccsolution.com
US05/16
