Leading from the middle.

[check] This checklist has been designed to explain the fundamentals of leadership. In today's fast changing organisational and business world, leadership is increasingly being seen as a key to improved performance. It is needed at all levels in an organisation--not just the top. Think about situations you have seen and you will spot leaders who were at the bottom of the hierarchy, or in positions with no formal authority.

There is a set of definable leadership skills which, when used fully, helps managers get the most from their team. Many organisations now run programmes to improve the leadership skills of staff at all levels from supervisor through to Managing Director. This underlines the point increasingly understood by organisations--that leadership is not something we are either born with or without, but is something that can be developed.

Definition

Leadership is notoriously difficult to define. The link with management is especially difficult and one way of looking at it is to say that "pure" leaders don't have to be good managers but every manager has to be an effective leader. You may be given the title "manager" but you earn the role of "leader". So what makes a good leader? Leaders:

* have followers--without followers who trust, rely on and feel supported by the leader there is no real leadership

* have vision--they have a clear, exciting image of the future and set the agenda for their team

* show commitment--they generate enthusiasm for the organisation and help lead people through times of change

* communicate--they are honest, open and positive and spend time talking and listening to their people empower staff--they give staff the room and the confidence to get the job done.

John Harvey Jones on leadership:

"I lead by example and persuasion... not on the basis of power and authority. My skills are to help a large number to release their energies and focus themselves. It is switching on a lot of people and helping them to achieve a common aim. People only do things they are convinced about. One has to create conditions in which people give of their best." (quoted in Great Leaders, John Adair, London: Talbot Adair Press, 1989)

Advantages

Effective leadership:

* is one of the main ways of bringing staff through turbulent times

* helps to spread a common understanding of what the organisation is about

* generates enthusiasm, team spirit and can be a powerful motivator

* gets the best out of team members.

Disadvantages

There are no disadvantages to effective leadership, but:

* domineering leaders tend to trample on other people and stifle innovation

* leadership can exert too strong a pull on followers--if the leader is too dominant or charismatic

* people may go along blindly with things that are detrimental to the organisation or themselves

* it can lead to a personality cult

* "macho" leaders, who are in conflict with each other, can split teams and the organisation.

Action checklist

1. Be clear about the difference between management and leadership

If you are not clear about the distinction, it is difficult to isolate, and therefore improve, those all important leadership skills.

* Management is really about the day-to-day running of a function--about getting the right people in the right place. It involves many administrative tasks.

* Leadership is more dynamic--it is about creating a vision for that function and gaining people's commitment. There are few certainties with leadership.

2. Be clear about where you are now

Are you comfortable with the idea of being a leader? If not, where do you think your weaknesses lie? Many people--especially those who have been promoted because they have a technical skill--feel uncomfortable leadership. But you need to be clear about what you feel about yourself as a leader. Think about whether you feel that leadership is alien to your character, whether you lack the authority and respect to be a leader, or if you feel that it is only more senior managers who should be leaders?

Remember that everyone can learn how to develop their leadership potential--authority and respect are there to be earned. Today, people at all levels are expected to show leadership qualities.

3. Downplay charisma 

Charisma is often seen as the key to a leader's success. However, it is something of a blunt weapon and a more complete range of leadership skills and styles needs to be developed. The trouble with relying on charisma is that it can be destructive. Charisma tends to dominate people and can create slavish followers who look to the leader for guidance and direction at every turn. Organisations should be more interested in empowering people to take their own decisions rather than allowing leadership cult to develop.

4. Recognise the different leadership needs of people

Work at developing a range of appropriate leadership styles--matching your leadership style to the situation and the people. Different staff need different kinds of leadership.

* People who are unwilling (or unable) to take responsibility need a heavy direction style, with strict targets and constant monitoring.

* Staff who lack confidence, but show potential, need more of a coaching approach. They need you to be directive and supportive. You need to explain what needs to be done, but reinforce positive behaviour from the person. The aim is to get them to take responsibility.

* Talented but underachieving employees need you to lead by communicating with them; the key is to get them performing properly, sharing in the decision making, taking the initiative.

* Star performers who are already fully competent need to be left alone to get on with the job.

5. Build up a range of demonstrable leadership attributes that confirm you as a leader in the eyes of your people

These include:

* developing and demonstrating good work habits

* understanding and valuing your staff's work

* working hard at handling pressure

* clearly demonstrating the values you hold dear

* encouraging your staff's enthusiasm

* providing regular feedback

* listening and learning.

6. Build communication channels

Develop the right mix of communication so people get to know what you expect, when they have done well or badly, and that they can give you feedback on your own performance.

Most research into what makes a good leader stresses that leaders communicate- and communicate all the time. They create a vision of where the department and organisation are going and they do so by communicating it clearly and often, demonstrating it through actions and by listening to their people.

7. Work hard at empowering your staff

You need to provide support and confidence for staff to achieve things for themselves. Today's leader works at creating the right circumstances for staff to take real ownership of their work. Are you courageous enough to trust your people to do a good job and to show faith in them. If you are, and can still give them a sense of vision and guidance when they need it, then they will see you as their leader.

Dos and don'ts for effective leadership

Do

* Match your style to the situation.

* Be clear about your values.

* Keep communication channels open.

* Listen to your people.

* Empower your people.

* Encourage enthusiasm and show it yourself.

Don't

* Domineer.

* Think that leaders have to come up with all the ideas.

* Think that leaders are the only ones who have ideas.

* Just rely on charisma.

* Refuse to listen to your people.

* Say one thing is important for other people to do, and do the opposite yourself.

Useful reading

The accidental leader: what to do when you're suddenly in charge, Harvey Robbins and Michael Finley San Francisco Calif: Jossey Bass, 2004

Bad leadership: what it is how it happens and why it matters, Barbara Kellerman Boston Mass: Harvard Business School Press, 2004

Leadership: theory and practice, 3rd ed, Peter G Northouse Thousand Oaks Calif: Sage, 2004

Leadership in organizations: current issues and key trends, John Storey ed London: Routledge, 2004

Leading the professionals: how to inspire and motivate professional service teams, Geoff Smith London: Kogan Page, 2004

Complete leadership: a practical guide for developing your leadership talents, Susan Bloch and Philip Whiteley Harlow: Pearson Education, 2003

The inspirational leader: how to motivate encourage and achieve success, John Adair London: Kogan Page, 2003

Leadership in a week, 3rd ed, Carol A O'Connor London: Hodder and Stoughton, 2003

Leadership skills for boosting performance, Terry Gillen London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2002

Thought starters

* Do you know how much your people value your leadership skills?

* Have you tended to rely on one leadership style rather than a range?

* Do you overuse charisma?

* Are you clear about your values and are your team clear about them?

* Are you comfortable encouraging enthusiasm?

* Do you know who, in your team, needs space and who needs direction?

* Do you know how many of your people are with you?