SITTING BACK OR STEPPING UP? THE DIFFERENCE IS LEADERSHIP.

Body language tells you a lot. I was working with a team some time ago and the way they sat at the meeting was reflective of each individual's willingness to take on responsibility.

We were talking about some future projects that had to happen and we were breaking the projects down into individual tasks. Responsibility for the tasks was being allocated to team members. I was observing each team member. Some were literally sitting back, even leaning back. Others were leaning in.

Without getting hung up on body language, there was a correlation between their body position and their willingness to accept responsibility. Those leaning back were the ones reluctant to put their hand up. Those leaning in were doing the opposite. 

There has been a lot written about the difference between leaders and followers and even the difference between managers and leaders (you might be interested in the Manager 2 Leader workshop!).

One difference I am certain of is that leaders step up. They actually love responsibility. Followers, on the other hand, sit back and wait for someone to take charge.

What would it be like at your place if more people were stepping up instead of sitting back? Our Manager 2 Leader workshop makes that happen. Let me know if we can help.

WHAT'S UP WITH LEADERSHIP IN AUSTRALIA? FIVE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW.

The results from the largest ever leadership study in Australia have just been released. The Study of Australian Leadership (SAL) was conducted by Melbourne University and funded by the Federal Government.

SAL surveyed 8,000 individuals across 2,500 workplaces. It involved senior leadership (CEOs), as well as frontline leaders and employees.

Key findings:

1. Frontline leaders have the most impact on employees, shaping their work experience and creating the work environment.

• Takeout: The performance of your frontline leaders, not your MD or CEO, matters most to your employees. 

2. Leaders drive the organisational capabilities that lead to better performance. 

• Takeout: The better your leaders are, the better your organisation will perform.

3. Leadership is critical for innovation which is vital for business performance.

• Takeout: Everyone is talking about innovation, but we should be talking about leadership driving innovation.

4. Engagement, culture, trust and 'intention to quit' are results of good leadership.

• Takeout: Whether your people care or not, trust each other or not, or are going to stay or not, are direct results of leadership.

5. Investment in leadership development pays. Leadership development results in more confident, capable leaders who drive both performance and innovation.

• Takeout: Investing in leadership development means you will get better leaders, and with it, all of the benefits as outlined above.

Key Question for You!

What are you doing about leadership development at your place? This research has just been released. It's hot off the press, it's reliable, current and trustworthy. 

If you need help developing leaders, call or email. We can help.

LEADERS H. E. L. P. OTHERS

Put really simply , the difference between leaders and non leaders is that leaders HELP others.

HONOUR - leaders honour others. They respect them. They treat them as humans, not as ways of getting things done. They recognise diversity and difference.

ENGAGE - leaders are about others. They try to understand what motivates people. Instead of telling people what to do they start by telling them why.

LISTEN - leaders take time to listen, truly listen, not just hear. Listening to others is one of the most powerful ways of showing respect and engaging others.

PROMOTE - leaders care for their people. They support and actively encourage them to be more than they could otherwise.

What are you doing to H.E.L.P your people?

CAN YOU H.E.L.P ME?

I am exploring the concept of 'Leaders H.E.L.P' others and I want to invite you to participate. Send me as many leadership words as you can start with H, E, L or P. Either email me (greg@licencetolead.com.au or go to Facebook - see the link to the right).
H words - eg, honesty, hustle, heighten
E words - eg empower, enthusiasm, encourage.
L words - eg, love, lift, leverage.
P words - eg, passion, productive, protect.

Everyone who contributes will go into the draw for a copy of my book, 'Road Rules for Leadership'.

YOU ONLY BECOME A LEADER WHEN YOU REALISE THIS

We become leaders the day we decide to help people grow, not numbers

Simon Sinek

I have been emphasising with the aspiring leaders I work with lately, that leadership is not all about us, but what we do with and for the people we lead. Simon Sinek's recent Facebook post absolutely resonates with this. We all want to be good at what we do. We all want to be the best we can be. But if we want to maximise our leadership influence, we must understand that it's not all about us.

True leaders understand that leadership is not about them, but about those they serve. It is not about exalting themselves, but about lifting others up

Sheri L Drew

Strive to be the best you can be, but realise that a leader's most important responsibility is to lift and inspire the performance of others.I have been challenging leaders to ask this simple question of their people. "What can I do to help you do your job?" Are you game enough to ask it?

ARE YOU CHOOSING LEADERSHIP OR 'LIKERSHIP'?

Everyone likes to be liked. Some will say they don't care, but I don't believe them. We feel better when people like us.

One of the biggest challenges of leadership is making the right decisions, even if that means that people won't like us. If you are making decisions primarily so that people will keep liking you, you are most likely making the wrong decisions and losing respect at the same time.

"Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off'.

US General Colin Powell

Leaders who choose 'likership' will feel warm and fuzzy, that everyone thinks they're a great guy. They will have followers but not for the right reasons. You don't want people to support you only because they like you. You want support because they respect you and what you are doing.

You may not like to hear this, but leadership takes courage, lots of it. The courage to do things, every day, that you don't want to. Like making decisions that you know are right, but you also know that people aren't necessarily going to like them. You make them anyway. You choose leadership.

Go for respect first, like second, every time.