GetSmarter 2016 Leadership Guide

8/18/2019 GetSmarter 2016 Leadership Guide

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/getsmarter-2016-leadership-guide 1/19

THE

ULTIMATE

LEADERSHIPGUIDE

3 STEPS TO BEING A BETTER LEADER

Successful leaders know that leadership isn’t something you wake up with - it’s a collection of

consistently developed abilities. This step-by-step guide provides actionable strategies to empower

your improvement of everything from your understanding of your own leadership abilities, to

developing your written, visual and spoken communication.



CONTENTS:

WELCOME page 3

STEP 1: What kind of leader are you? page 4

STEP 2: The Leader’s Conduct Matrix page 8

• Watch what you say page 9

• Watch how you move page 11

• Watch how you write page 12

• How to grow page 14

STEP 3: The Leader's Weekly Checklist page 16



Dear Leader,

Welcome to GetSmarter’s Ultimate Leadership Guide.

The purpose of this 3-step guide is to help empower you on your leadership journey, to meet your full potential to be a strong leader, irrespective of

whether or not you currently hold a leadership role.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE MAKES, OR WILL MAKE,

YOU A POWERFUL LEADER?

There’s no exact formula for eective leadership, although many of the

elements remain similar: achieving results and leading others to success.

If you’re a modern workplace leader, at management level or higher, looking

to contextualise leadership; or an aspiring leader (remember you don’t have

to have it in your title in order to lead), this guide will empower you to identify

your personal leadership traits; implement strategies to emphasise your

strengths and manage your weaknesses; and monitor your progress.

Improving as a leader starts with nurturing a core leadership competency:

self-awareness. It’s the most powerful skill a leader can develop (you’ll read

about this in Step 1) and is essential in dening who you are as a leader.

An inherent part of accurate self-awareness is paying attention to the details -

right down to what you say, every move you make, and how you write. In Step

2 of this guide, you’ll nd an in-depth and interactive “conduct matrix”, where

you’ll be given actionable tips for speaking, moving, and writing like a leader, as

well as prompts for growing your skills.

Finally, how will you know you’ve succeeded if you can’t see how far you’ve

come? Step 3 provides an interactive Leader’s Weekly Growth Checklist you canuse to reect on, and monitor, your progress as you grow into a stronger leader.

Yours in lifelong learning,

THE GETSMARTER TEAM

WELCOME



STEP 1: WHAT KIND OFLEADER ARE YOU?

*source: Green Peak Partners, What Predicts Executive Success?

A leader is best when people

barely know he exists, when hiswork is done, his aim fullled,

they will say: we did it ourselves.- LAO TZU

In a study* by Green Peak Partners and Cornell

University on what determines executive

success, it was noted that high self-awareness

was the “strongest predictor of overall success.”Leaders who are aware of their weaknesses

are able to hire people who perform well in

categories in which the leader lacks acumen,

and “are also more able to entertain the idea

that someone on their team may have an idea

that is even better than their own.”

Self-awareness is not a style in itself, but

is the crucial factor that leads you to anunderstanding of how and why you lead.

One popular way to develop this self-

awareness is through an examination of the

leadership styles proposed by Daniel Goleman,

in his publication: Leadership That Gets Results.

In this model, Goleman proposes 6 styles of

leadership and maintains that sticking to only

one is not the answer. “The best leaders don’t know just one style of

leadership— they’re skilled at several, and have

the exibility to switch between styles as the

circumstances dictate.”

Although consistency is also key to avoiding

confusion in your team, picking and choosing

from these styles allows you to adapt specic

skills relevant to certain situations.

The model, although not an exact science,

is also useful in determining under which

leadership style you sit most comfortably, and

helps to create a well-informed picture of your

strengths and weakness - taking you one step

closer to being a self-aware leader.

LET’S FIND OUT

WHAT TYPE OFLEADER YOU ARE,

JUST FOR FUN…

Q U I Z

http://resources.getsmarter.co.za/resource-centre/which-famous-leader-are-you-quiz?utm_source=resource&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=leadership_guide













GOLEMAN’S 6 STYLES OF LEADERSHIP**

COERCIVE

The “my way or the highway” style. Coercive leaders take

full charge of situations and don’t entertain contrary

opinions. They command authority through fear, and

obedience through demand.

AUTHORITATIVE

The path-maker. Authoritative leaders lead through clarity,

encouragement and a “come with me” approach. The

overall goal is clearly dened, but consideration is made of

the many possible paths to achieving it.

PERKS: Highly eective in emergency situations

PITFALLS: Generally, it can inhibit organisational exibility and dampen

employee motivation

PRACTICE: Use it in an emergency situation, a company turnaround, or

when dealing with a problem employee

PERKS: Gives people the freedom to choose their own means of

achieving goals

PITFALLS: Ineective when a leader is less knowledgeable than

team members

PRACTICE: Considered to be the best all-round style, but especially

eective if there is a need for direction, and in creating a

fresh approach to a long-term goal

AFFILIATIVE

The people’s leader. Goals come second to the

establishment of positive relationships with the people

seeking to achieve those goals. Trust and loyalty are held

in high regard, and strong bonds are formed between the

leader and followers.

PERKS: Increases morale and harmony within a team

PITFALLS: Poor performance may escape uncorrected, and lack ofadvice can leave employees feeling uncertain over what to

do in a dicult situation

PRACTICE: Use this style when there is mistrust within the team: when

everyone has their gloves up, and you need them to drop

their hands

1

2

3



DEMOCRATIC

The consensus rules. Followers play an important role in

decision-making, resulting in the development of exibility,responsibility and the generation of fresh ideas, as well as

intense commitment to goals, strategies and tactics.

5) PACESETTING

Walk the talk. These leaders set high standards for

everyone, including themselves, and so have a positive

impact on self-motivated and highly competent

employees. A demand for excellence is standard

procedure.

PERKS: Builds responsibility amongst the team and gives everyone

a voice

PITFALLS: Eect on climate is not as high as is generally expected

due to numerous discussions tending to leave employees

feeling leaderless

PRACTICE: Use when the outcome is likely to be controversial. Creating

a feeling of “we’re in this together” shares the responsibility

between parties

PERKS: Positive impact on high-performers

PITFALLS: Other employees may experience a feeling ofbeing overwhelmed

PRACTICE: This style should be applied when team members have a

high level of technical expertise

6) COACHING

The personal developer. Talents of followers arerecognised, and a plan is put in place to develop them

through challenges and push-tactics that encourage the

cultivation of a new, improved skill set.

PERKS: Eective in managing employees who want to improve

their weaknesses

PITFALLS: Ineective in managing employees who are resistant to

change, e.g. older employees

PRACTICE: When there’s potential in your team, and you’re willing

to sacrice short-term success for the long-term benets

of learning

**source: Daniel Goleman, Leadership that Gets Results

4

5

6



Goleman’s model is a good start,

but developing true self-awareness

requires feedback on real-life

performance. What steps can you

take, in your daily life, to become more

self-aware?

1. FIRSTLY, SELF-IDENTIFY

The rst person you need to askhonestly about your abilities is

yourself. What leadership style do

you think you identify with the most,

and what pitfalls are you guilty of

falling into?

2. BUILD IT INTO

PERFORMANCE REVIEWS

Hearing from your team, colleagues,

and superiors will give you an accurate

idea of how others perceive you as a

leader. Don’t be afraid of asking for

feedback on your leadership style - the

best leaders are open to it. Does the

feedback match your own perception?

3. ENCOURAGE FEEDBACK

IN WEEKLY CATCHUPS

In order to frequently sense-check

yourself, make it a requirement of yourteam that they provide at least one

piece of valuable feedback - positive or

negative - on your leadership

each week.

4. REVIEW YOUR PROGRESS

Keep a record of the feedback you

receive, and implement actionable

strategies to tackle problem areas.

Take a look at Step 3 for an interactive

framework to prompt you.

YOUR NEXT STEPS



STEP 2:

THE LEADER’S

CONDUCT MATRIXGreat leaders pay attention to the details. Every word you say and each movement you

accompany them with will have an eect on your followers and the environment you create

around them. The following steps are all about prompting you to practice what you preach.



3. OFFER YOUR OPINION...LAST

Imagine you’re in a meeting, and a workplace superior starts with, “In my opinion…” - everything else from that point on is

doomed to agree, at least partially, with the initial statement. As a leader, you’ve got the power, so don’t hold it over your

subordinates’ heads.

Instead of oering your opinion as a standalone, connect it to what others have said previously and frame it as an addition.

USE THESE BRIDGING PHRASES:

• “That makes me think of…” • “Remember what you said about…” • “I see, and what about…”

WHY THIS WORKS

Through framing your own opinions as stemming from the ideas of others, you give employees

condence in what they think and take away their fear of sharing. This allows for improved

collaboration and idea generation because, after all, two heads are better than one.

4. PROBE FOR MORE

Someone’s rst answer is seldom their best one. In order to draw insightful solutions out of your

team, ask again, and again. They’ll come up with more and more ideas, which means a greater

number of choices, and a higher likelihood of the best possible decision being made.

SAY THIS:

• “Great, and what else?” • “Should we do this, this, that or none of them?” • “Why?”

INSTEAD OF THIS:

• “Let’s do that.”

Remember the dierence between a boss and a leader:a boss says ‘Go!’ and a leader

says ‘Let’s go!’

- E.M. KELLY



WATCH HOWYOU MOVEYou’ve probably heard the saying: “Actions speak louder than words.”

This means that, no matter what you say, your words are only as true as

how you move before, during, and after speaking.

HOW TO MOVE

1. NOD YOUR HEAD

This is best done subtly, to show you’re paying attention. It doesn’t necessarily

indicate agreement, but it gives the impression that you understand what is

being said.

2. CLASP YOUR HANDS IN FRONT OF YOU

Whether on the desk or in your lap, having your hands in front of you, and

visible to the other person, helps to avoid dgeting and appearing as if you’re

not concentrating.

3. LOOK THE PERSON IN THE EYE

Eye contact is a powerful indication of attention and understanding. Remember,

your eyes can give away how you’re feeling, so be sure to keep them calm.

4. MAINTAIN A NEUTRAL FACIAL EXPRESSION

This is best done subtly, to show you’re paying attention. It doesn’t necessarily

indicate agreement, but it gives the impression that you understand what is

being said.

HOW NOT TO MOVE

1. SHAKE YOUR HEAD

Unless you’re sympathising with something that has gone wrong, avoid

shaking your head. It gives the impression that you don’t agree, and discourages

further conversation.

2. CROSS YOUR ARMS

This is generally considered to be suggestive of defensiveness, dislike,

or disagreement. Crossing your arms makes you more intimidating and

less approachable.

3. LOOK AROUND

Casting your gaze about the room immediately gives the impression that you’re

not interested and not paying attention.

4. REACT EMOTIONALLY

Reacting immediately to what you’re told discourages people from sharing

their point of view and limits your ability, as a leader, to get a 360 degree view

of a problem.



WATCH HOWYOU WRITEWritten communication via email, instant messaging, or an online task manager

covers a large percentage of the communication you will make during your

workday. Ensuring you know how to write in a way that relays your exactmessage is essential.

1. WHO TO INCLUDE

Including too many people in your communications will likely end up in

taking longer than necessary to reach your desired outcome. Think about who

the information you’re trying to communicate applies to, and exclude any

non-essentials.

ASK YOURSELF?

• How will each person benet from this communication?

• Does every person need this depth of information?

2. TONE

Your tone starts with your choice of words. Do they need to be formal, casual,

or a mix of both? Did you use too many descriptive adjectives, or did you get

straight to the point? Finally, put yourself in the shoes of the receiver before

pressing send.

ASK YOURSELF?

• What is the purpose of this communication?

• Is my word use appropriate?

• Did I get straight to the point?

• Have I put myself in the shoes of the receiver?

TIP:

Emoticons are popular for conveying tone, but should be reserved for casual

interactions and avoided entirely in formal communication.

3. WORD USE

The biggest mistake leaders make in written communication is using words and

expressions that are more formal or abstract than necessary. For example, why

use “due to the fact that” instead of “because”, or “at this point in time” instead

of “now”?

ASK YOURSELF?

• Can I shorten any of these words?

• Is there a clearer way to say that?

4. KEEP IT SIMPLE

Use nouns and verbs - excessive adjectives, adverbs and conjunctions not only

dilute your point but also waste time. Inboxes are notoriously full, so make sure

your mail doesn’t take up unnecessary space.

ASK YOURSELF?

• What is the main point I’m trying to communicate?

• Which words dilute that point?



5. IS EMAIL THE BEST TOOL HERE?

There are situations where email works, but in others it’s face-to-face that counts.

Especially in the case of a sensitive issue, it’s a lot more eective to talk person-to-

person than it is to send a long, carefully constructed written message.

ASK YOURSELF?

• How would I want someone to communicate this to me?

6. WRITING UP

Your communications aren’t just going to include people on your level - you might

also be talking to higher-level colleagues. Understand that a more serious tone

and word use might be more appropriate here, depending on your company, as

they’re your superiors.

7. READ IT AGAIN

The best way to decide if your communications align with who’s receiving them

and their purpose, is to read them again with the end-user in mind. You’ll often

nd that, when you read it from someone else’s point of view, your words sound

dierent. A nal check also helps you avoid any errors.

ASK YOURSELF?

• Who is the end-user, and have I kept this in mind when writing?

• Have I checked for mistakes?

You want them to view your ideas assound and interesting, and to view

you as smart, informed, direct and

companionable.

– JOHN TRIMBLE, WRITING WITH STYLE



HOW TO GROW1. UNCOVER THROUGH LEARNING

Stay up-to-date with leadership approaches, trends, tips and tricks to ensure your

abilities stay relevant and eective. Here’s one for you:

The modern marketing legend, Seth Godin, describes how eective post-

industrial organisations have overcome the challenge of getting the best out of

employees by dierentiating between the loose and the tight.

The “tight” applies to control of appropriate items such as promises, customer

service, or nances. The “loose” applies to principles such as the way people

approach problems, or methods of communication.

APPLY IT:

Where will you be tight today?

Where will you be loose today?

We fail if we misjudge what ought to be tight, and

we guarantee frustration when we’re unwilling to

let the humans we hire be humans.

– SETH GODIN



2. REFLECT

There’s less value in achievement if you don’t look back at why you succeeded -

and where you didn’t. Reecting on your progress allows you to identify where

you could do better next time, both from your own perspective and that of your

team. Upon completion of a task or project, take some time to sit by yourself, and

then with your team, to have an honest and straightforward conversation.

ASK YOURSELF:

“What worked for me?”

“What didn’t work?”

“What would I have done diferently?”

“How will I apply this to my next task/project?”

ASK YOUR TEAM:

• “What worked for you?”

• “What didn’t work?”

• “What would you have done diferently?”

• "How will you apply this to your next task/project?”

• “What can I, as a leader, do to help?”



STEP 3: THE LEADER’S

WEEKLY CHECKLISTWhat gets measured, gets done. The ability to reect on each week’s conduct and learnings is

the anchor behind a heightened sense of self-awareness, and, ultimately, stronger leadership.

Here are 16 actions to record and learn from on a weekly basis, in order to solidify and

grow your leadership.

It is absurd that a man should rule others, who

cannot rule himself.

- LATIN PROVERB



THIS WEEK I GREW MY LEADERSHIP IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:

1 I actively listened, even though I had the urge to speak when:

2 I empowered someone to take on something I would usually do by:

3 I shared inspiration through:

4 I gave honest and constructive feedback to:

5 I asked for feedback from:

6 I expressed condence and support for:

7 I acted decisively when:

8 I set vision and gave direction to my team by:



9 I recognised for their contribution to:

10 I had a dicult conversation with:

11 I clearly articulated my view and challenged a superior on:

12 I led by example when:

13 I celebrated a team win by:

14 I managed my own energy by:

15 I reminded my team about the higher purpose of their work through:

16 I enhanced my leadership competence through learning about:



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GetSmarter 2016 Leadership Guide

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