I have read many of the class’ blogs for week two. I found that both Megan’s listed the 8 things most effective Leaders must do. I liked the list because it is very true from purely a leadership prospective. I think that it does not matter if you are talking about marketing leaders, manufacturing leaders, supply chain leaders, or military leaders. I like Megan M. stated Drucker reads like mean self help books. I believe it reads like many business leadership books, like Good to Great for example. Cohen took a leader in management, Drucker, and transformed his work into a marketing book. It could easily be a business management book.
The specific points on Leadership and my views:
Maintaining absolute integrity: When you are leading any group, they are always watching to ensure that your actions match your words or the words of the organization. One point many people new to leadership miss is that you cannot openly disagree with company policy in front of your employees and then attempt to enforce it. This many seem like common sense but how many times do your hear managers saying “I know this is silly (stupid) but you have to do it anyway.” This destroys their credibility. You must disagree before the policy is announced and it must be in private, but when it is announced you have to be onboard.
Know your stuff: This too seems like common sense, but I have just taken over a manufacturing supervisor and have had to put in long hours to learn the process. Nothing destroys credibility as a leader like giving bad direction because you don’t understand the process.
Declare your expectations: Setting expectations is very important. Most people can accept change better if they understand the end state. Clearly communicating the expected outcome of the change or even the amount of work to be accomplished on a shift sets a more productive tone.
Show uncommon commitment: If you do not believe in the direction you are leading the group how will your followers. As a leader, I often worked longer hours to ensure that everything was ready for my guys when they got to work and that obstacles had been removed to make their job easier.
Expect positive results: I believe we had a class discussion on this. I have found that in the last month that my department has become more productive and our quality has improved and a major factor in this is the fact that I expect the union workers to operate to the best of their ability as opposed to my predecessor who was constantly expecting the union works to be “playing games” , using loop holes and tricks to avoid work.
Take care of your people: If you ensure that your people get recognition for their work and are treated fairly, they will achieve more and it will put you in a positive light with senior management. If you take credit for their successes, they will stop producing and you will fail in the long run.
Put duty before self: Do the best job at whatever you are asked to do for the organization. This is a very military concept but if your employees see you doing it, it will inspire the same in them. The key is you cannot complain about it.
Get out in front: Again a very military concept. The first one into the line of fire is the leader. If you want to understand read about Colonel Moore or rent We Were Soldiers. This is not just a combat thing. When we had to clean up the ship, a task that was not liked or fun, I would be the first one in the bildge ( the bottom of the ship where the nasty stuff collects) cleaning and the last on out. In a business setting these is translated into embracing change and leading by example.
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