Are you Leadership Material?



Are you Leadership Material?

Mar-Apr 2009  Print

Becoming a leader and building credibility is about embodying certain traits that earn you the authority to lead a team.

And in times of economic uncertainty, good leaders focus on their softer skills to communicate with their team. In tough times, there is a huge opportunity for good leaders to step forward.

There are four traits that managers – no matter what level – need to possess to inspire staff and be seen as a leader. These are particularly critical when morale is low.

1. Flexibility

Far from the top-down approach of many managers, leadership in today’s climate needs to embody dignity, empathy and support that extend beyond money. To be a true leader, you need to be able to adapt to different circumstances and take on feedback, without compromising your position.

Whereas previously, effective leadership was measured by a leader’s ability to inspire the team to follow processes, today’s leaders need to understand their staff, what motivates them and their individual challenges.


2. Attitude

Leaders need to be enthusiastic, this is a top down approach – it is contagious and combats the negativity that is prevalent amidst times of change. They also need to be empathetic; telling someone that “everything will be fine” fails to address their specific concerns and may appear insincere.

In April’s issue of MIS, human resources consultant Helen Crossing says that empathy towards staff is central to helping them through the tough periods. She says that “Empathy allows people to respond to others with a degree of sensitivity, so that they are better able to provide feedback, talk about sensitive situations and measure their communication”.


3. Approachability

Approachability isn’t just about having an open door. A leader who tries to be too many things at once will fail to achieve anything. Good leaders communicate parameters so they can remain focused on their objectives and actively listen to their colleagues when they are ready to be most effective.

Communication is vital to retain control and boost morale. Senior managers need to have constant contact with their front-line staff and discuss honestly, in simple terms, what is going on in the business.


4. Loyalty

Loyalty to the team must be balanced with loyalty to the organisation to ensure you don't create silos of Us vs Them.

According to Crossing, under pressure and left to their own devices, inexperienced managers can resort to their own values, rather than remembering that they work for an organisation, that there is a specific culture and that the organisation has a specific purpose. Leaders need to strike a balance between satisfying the needs of management and the needs of workers.


For professionals from technical backgrounds, sound communication and soft skills can be challenging when making the transition to management positions.

DDLS offers a three-day course on Leadership for Professionals, which is a specially tailored course to help professionals build their leadership skills.

For further information or to book a course, please call DDLS on 13 12 01.