Successful leaders engage with people effectively to achieve an organisation’s goals
Successful companies know that developing the leadership capabilities of their managers is a constant, not a one off event.
Having developed a shared vision for their business, the CEO and executive team need to sponsor and promote it to engage leaders and their teams at all levels across the whole organisation.
Developing Leadership Capabilities
When businesses have a clearly defined leadership development strategy, and it is embedded into their business strategy they derive the maximum impact from their investment in those people: successful implementation of their business strategy throughout the company, delivered through engagement and commitment at all levels companywide.
This is a high performing company that achieves the organisation’s goals effectively.
Effective leaders
Capable and effective leaders are needed companywide to sustain growth and competitive advantage, because they proactively and regularly communicate the company vision and business strategy it generates to their divisions and teams. These skilful and committed leaders express what the company story means to them personally, and explain what it means for their division or team in particular, gaining their commitment and engagement.
The passion, commitment and communication skills of effective leaders energise people to engage in actions that coordinate the cooperative alignment of company wide implementation activities that deliver strategic goals.
These leaders also sponsor and proactively contribute to methods of achieving continuous learning that is reflective, and creates a culture of improvement, change and renewal.
Renewal is the vital function of leadership
Every day learning and knowhow happens naturally in the activities of people throughout the company. Sometimes it is not noticed or acknowledged as an asset, but quietly it drives continuous incremental change extending to customers, and to supply chains and competitor networks.
Effective leaders sponsor and promote this ‘grass roots’ learning proactively, investing time regularly to gather ideas and suggestions from their team, and encouraging sharing – so that everyone from the reception desk to the executive desk has the opportunity to make a contribution to change. Over time these incremental changes can be radical and contribute to sustaining competitive advantage for the company, e.g. developing a new business model or customer service strategy, new brands, or a new employment identity.
Such widespread engagement in the routine process of change, creates a soft landing for managing other changes that may need to be introduced as a result of changing market conditions, or M&A’s.
This is the source of companywide engagement, commitment, alignment and renewal that delivers significant added value throughout the business.
Effective leaders achieve DEAR outputs – Direction, Engagement, Alignment, and Renewal – that enable companies to build and sustain growth.
