“Great leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure the impact lasts in your absence” Sheryl Sandberg.
Have you ever listened to a beautiful piece of music, masterly delivered? Then remembered the way you felt during the delivery much later? Even years later? When something wonderful touched you to the core, it remains with us, and the feeling of wonder can be recalled at any time. That is the lasting effect of great leadership, it permeates through the team member’s core, and the positive remains with them forever. The vibration also spreads way beyond the first impact – it spreads through the entire team, the families of those affected and the community.
Unfortunately, the opposite effect is also an option – many leaders leave their cringe-worthy memories and effects behind.
So how do great leaders make sure they leave positive vibrations wherever they encounter the team?
- First and foremost – acute self-awareness and self-regulation:
The manner and demeanour your take onto the podium is the message to the orchestra about how this piece will be played. Every facial expression, pose and tone of voice is interpreted as a signal of how the music should be played.
- Social awareness and social mastery – interpersonal skills:
A powerful leader has excellent communication and people management skills that engage, motivate and inspire others. They know how to listen deeply and communicate effectively with others, how to constructively provide feedback and how to manage conflict successfully.
- Cultural mastery:
The culture is a sum total of everyone’s vibrations, most importantly, the leader’s. It is the sum of the sound produced by the orchestra. Being deliberate about the intended culture of the organization makes leadership a bit easier down the line – the positive vibrations become “the way we do things around here”.
When leaders excel at these three aspects of great leadership, they will reap quantifiable rewards, including, increased employee engagement, reduced turnover and enhanced productivity.
