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Changing demands in leadership driven by increasing ambiguity and uncertainty require leaders to be equipped and confident in order to be successful.
Research by Hodgson and White (2001) argue that today’s leaders need to:
- Achieve focus – focus on key strategic tasks and initiatives that everyone in the organisation must be aware of and subscribe to
- Overcome fear of failure – upbringing and culture can make us risk adverse. As leaders we need to encourage experimentation and risk taking
- Access your inner self – this is more than intuition, it is using instinct and experience to sport ideas, trends and patterns in the market
- Simple questions, simple answers – in an age of information overload, leaders must master the art of simple, clear and concise communication on the strategy and goals of the organisation
- Energy and fun – an energised team is an creative and effective force. The leader’s role is helping others to find this motivating force within themselves.
Kouzes and Posner (2002) identified five principles that allowed leaders to achieve extraordinary things when they examined what leaders did when they performed at their best:
- Leaders challenge the process – seek out challenging opportunities to grow, innovate and challenge the status quo; experiment, take risks and learn from failures.
- Leaders inspire a shared vision – they envision a ‘bright and uplifting future’, engage others in a shared vision by appealing to their values, hopes and dreams. Powerful leaders enable others to see the world through their eyes.
- Leaders enable other to act – they promote collaboration by supporting shared goals and building trust; strengthen others by giving power away, coaching and developing skills, providing challenging tasks and offering support.
- Leaders model the way – set an example by behaving in ways consistent with shared values; achieve small wins that encourage progress and build commitment.
- Leaders encourage the heart – recognise individual contributions and celebrate success.
