EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP SERIES BLOG #1: WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?

When it comes to Leaders and Leadership, words matter.  A lot.

Words are fundamental tools used by Leaders to do their work.  Effective Leaders learn to use words just as a master carpenter learns to use a hammer.

A Leader’s words give direction and guidance.  They inspire and motivate.  They paint the picture of what could be and make a team want to travel with the Leader to that place.

Words are the beginning of my work with my Leadership Coaching and Consulting Clients.

We start with creating a common grammar and vocabulary of the word “Leadership”.  What is it, what is it not?  Where does the Client and Team excel (keep doing those things) and where do they struggle (let’s work on these).

My simple definition of “Leadership” is “the act of getting meaningful work done through others”.  But this definition begs loads of questions.

Chief among these, what is it exactly that a Leader does?  And what makes some Leaders more effective than others?  

In this blog series, I will expand on the definition of Leadership, “Getting Meaningful Work Done Through Others”, delving into the elements of Effective Leadership.

I’ll reference a few resources along the way which I’ve found helpful and which I can recommend. A short list is at the bottom of the page. 

Chief among these is the 2001 Harvard Business Review article by John Kotter, “What Leaders Really Do” where he explores five elements of Effective Leadership:

1. Coping with Change

2. Creating a Vision

3. Aligning People to the Vision

4. Motivating People

5. Creating a Culture of Leadership

(Leadership Nugget:  stay curious.  Read widely.  Learn from others. Take on new ideas and practices to up your Leadership game).

In this series, I’ll share experiences and learnings on each of these 5 elements, both what helps a Leader be effective and alongside the behaviors which contribute to a Leader derailing. 

I’d welcome the opportunity to share with you how I can help you and your team reach your next summit on this or any other topic through creation of bespoke training, consulting or individual/team leadership coaching. 

To book a complimentary and no-obligation Exploration Session to discuss your challenges, please click on the Big Red Button at the top.  I look forward to speaking with you.

Be well

Brian

Some reading on the topic of Leadership:

“What Leaders Really Do”, John P. Kotter, HBR December 2001

“The Work of Leadership”, Ronald Heifetz and Donald L Laurie, HBR December 2001

”The Manager’s Job, Folklore and Fact”, Henry Mintzberg, HBR July-August 1975

“3 Reasons Why Every Department Needs Its Own Strategy” Andrea Belk Olson HBR January 2024

“Managers and Leaders: Are They Different?”, Abraham Zaleznik, HBR January 2004

“Understanding Leadership”, W.C.H. Prentice , 1961 Article, reprinted HBR January 2004

“What Makes a Leader,” Daniel Goleman, HBR January 2004