The Five Key Facets of Quality Leadership
by Brian Ward
What are the key facets of quality leadership? Here are the ones that
we have distilled from our research and practice ... we call it the
FACET Leadership Coaching Model™:
Focus - Authenticity - Courage - Empathy - Timing
Focus
Effective leaders stay focused on the outcomes they wish to create, and
don't get too married to the methods used to achieve them. They provide
this 'outcomes focus' for their organization by emphasizing the
mission, vision and strategic goals of their organization and at the same time
building the capacity of their organizations to achieve them. This
capacity building emphasizes the need to be flexible, creative and
innovative and avoid becoming fossilized through the adoption of bureaucratic
structures, policies and processes.
Authenticity
Leaders who are authentic attract followers, even leaders who are
viewed as being highly driven and difficult to work for. Simply put, they
are viewed as always being themselves … and therefore followers know what
to expect from them and can rely on them, come thick or thin.
Authenticity provides the leader with the currency to obtain 'buy-in' from key
stakeholders, because it builds and maintains trust.
Courage
The challenges facing leaders are immense, and require great courage to
overcome. Leaders are constantly being challenged by others, be it
their own team, customers, the public or other stakeholders. Standing firm
in the face of criticism, and having the courage to admit when they are
wrong are hallmarks of courageous leaders. For example, shifting an
organization from being introspective to becoming customer focused
requires courage when people pay lip service to the new direction ... it means
calling people on their bluff.
Empathy
Effective leaders know how to listen empathetically … thus legitimizing
others' input. By doing so, they promote consensus building, and build
strong teams. They coach others to do the same, and so create a culture
of inclusiveness. But they don't get bogged down in overly complicated
dialogue. They know when to 'fish or cut bait', which brings us on to
the final facet ...
Timing
The single most critical facet is in knowing when to make critical
decisions and when not to. All of the other facets must be viewed as
subservient to getting the timing of critical decisions right. There is a
time to be focused, authentic, courageous and empathetic, but get the
timing wrong on critical decisions and everything else is nullified. Great
leaders move with appropriate speed. They don't believe that everything
must be done immediately ... they know how to prioritize, and how to
get their team to prioritize. As well, they engage in timely
follow-through to ensure actions that are committed to happen in a well-coordinated
and timely way.
These facets of quality leadership are not exhaustive. Just as one
would look at the facets of a diamond, upon closer observation other facets
become observable. Any person can aspire to being a great leader by
commencing with these facets. If you are in a leadership role, regardless
of your position in your organization, start by asking yourself the
following key questions:
Key Questions
1. How focused am I?
How much of my time do I spend communicating and inspiring people about
our mission, vision and strategic goals? How much focus do I create in
my organization? How married am I/my organization to methods that have
outlived their usefulness?
2. Am I viewed as authentic?
Do people see and hear the real me? Do I wear a mask at work, and
remove it when I leave each evening?
3. How courageous am I when my values, vision and goals are challenged?
Do I stand firm and only change my position when I know that I am
wrong?
4. How empathetic am I?
Too much/too little? Do I create enough opportunities for open and
candid dialogue? Do I ever find myself getting bogged down in consensus
building, or achieving false consensus? Is there a feeling of
inclusiveness amongst the members of my organization, and with other stakeholders,
including customers?
5. Do I make and execute decisions in a timely fashion?
Do I know when to 'fish or cut bait?' - do I demand well coordinated
and timely execution of strategy from others?
Asking these questions in a candid way will open up many possibilities
for you and your organization ... if you have the courage to do it.
from
Phanish
From India, Hyderabad
1by Brian Ward
What are the key facets of quality leadership? Here are the ones that
we have distilled from our research and practice ... we call it the
FACET Leadership Coaching Model™:
Focus - Authenticity - Courage - Empathy - Timing
Focus
Effective leaders stay focused on the outcomes they wish to create, and
don't get too married to the methods used to achieve them. They provide
this 'outcomes focus' for their organization by emphasizing the
mission, vision and strategic goals of their organization and at the same time
building the capacity of their organizations to achieve them. This
capacity building emphasizes the need to be flexible, creative and
innovative and avoid becoming fossilized through the adoption of bureaucratic
structures, policies and processes.
Authenticity
Leaders who are authentic attract followers, even leaders who are
viewed as being highly driven and difficult to work for. Simply put, they
are viewed as always being themselves … and therefore followers know what
to expect from them and can rely on them, come thick or thin.
Authenticity provides the leader with the currency to obtain 'buy-in' from key
stakeholders, because it builds and maintains trust.
Courage
The challenges facing leaders are immense, and require great courage to
overcome. Leaders are constantly being challenged by others, be it
their own team, customers, the public or other stakeholders. Standing firm
in the face of criticism, and having the courage to admit when they are
wrong are hallmarks of courageous leaders. For example, shifting an
organization from being introspective to becoming customer focused
requires courage when people pay lip service to the new direction ... it means
calling people on their bluff.
Empathy
Effective leaders know how to listen empathetically … thus legitimizing
others' input. By doing so, they promote consensus building, and build
strong teams. They coach others to do the same, and so create a culture
of inclusiveness. But they don't get bogged down in overly complicated
dialogue. They know when to 'fish or cut bait', which brings us on to
the final facet ...
Timing
The single most critical facet is in knowing when to make critical
decisions and when not to. All of the other facets must be viewed as
subservient to getting the timing of critical decisions right. There is a
time to be focused, authentic, courageous and empathetic, but get the
timing wrong on critical decisions and everything else is nullified. Great
leaders move with appropriate speed. They don't believe that everything
must be done immediately ... they know how to prioritize, and how to
get their team to prioritize. As well, they engage in timely
follow-through to ensure actions that are committed to happen in a well-coordinated
and timely way.
These facets of quality leadership are not exhaustive. Just as one
would look at the facets of a diamond, upon closer observation other facets
become observable. Any person can aspire to being a great leader by
commencing with these facets. If you are in a leadership role, regardless
of your position in your organization, start by asking yourself the
following key questions:
Key Questions
1. How focused am I?
How much of my time do I spend communicating and inspiring people about
our mission, vision and strategic goals? How much focus do I create in
my organization? How married am I/my organization to methods that have
outlived their usefulness?
2. Am I viewed as authentic?
Do people see and hear the real me? Do I wear a mask at work, and
remove it when I leave each evening?
3. How courageous am I when my values, vision and goals are challenged?
Do I stand firm and only change my position when I know that I am
wrong?
4. How empathetic am I?
Too much/too little? Do I create enough opportunities for open and
candid dialogue? Do I ever find myself getting bogged down in consensus
building, or achieving false consensus? Is there a feeling of
inclusiveness amongst the members of my organization, and with other stakeholders,
including customers?
5. Do I make and execute decisions in a timely fashion?
Do I know when to 'fish or cut bait?' - do I demand well coordinated
and timely execution of strategy from others?
Asking these questions in a candid way will open up many possibilities
for you and your organization ... if you have the courage to do it.
from
Phanish
From India, Hyderabad
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