By Lim Kee Yeong
Leadership is a humongous topic where debates, questions and opinions have been continuing for ages and will likely to be so for generations to come. Every expert, guru, corporate leader, politician and successful entrepreneur will have his or her respective ideas, experiences and stories to share, tell and impose upon.
But one thing is for sure, none – and literally none – will claim that he or she is ALWAYS right.
Having said that, leadership is perhaps fundamentally speaking more of an art than a science, if most quotes and references are anything to go by. Many great leaders have made the right calls and become who they are in their respective organisations and fields. But among the decisions made and styles they use, mistakes are common as well resulting in as many failures. A few key thoughts should be in the mind of all leaders when managing, leading and executing at all levels. This short write-up is to share some common thoughts for both leaders and followers to debate and learn collectively.
(In this article, terms used will be generalised as “leaders” and “followers” for simplicity’s sake)
Leadership is an Art
Leadership is, by and large, an art. To improve the odds of making a sound judgement, leaders often supplement it with science. How? The use of data (in various forms and shapes, including but not limited to probability studies, expected outcome, and tipping point analysis) is not new to some but can definitely be made awesome for leaders to know what, when and how to make a better decision. Some writers and experts have coined this combination as “artscience”.
While some leaders still make decisions based on their assumed “wisdom” or “gut feeling”, science comes in very handy when exploring grey areas in particular. Meanwhile, leaders must also carry the mindset that hard work is always 99 percent (and a must). 1 percent is down to “luck”, which typically has the unfortunate “veto” capability to nullify all efforts.
In any event, we must learn from both success or failure, no matter the outcome. Hence, while it is desirable to see a positive outcome, a leader should also understand failure is always an unwilling part of the equation – hence the need for a differentiated leader to understand both the art and science parts for a better result. In short, do feel guilty if you fail but come back stronger next time – a hallmark of a good leader!
Leadership by Circumstance
Closely related to the earlier “artscience” concept, the success of any leadership style is dependent also on the circumstances, concurrently curated with the adaptability and flexibility of the leader. A crisis, growth or transformational circumstances will likely call for very different leadership approaches. Good leaders ought to know when is the time to adapt, when to listen or perhaps when to hand over the baton as the environment has changed. The crux of all is if leaders realise circumstances have indeed changed and it is no longer the good old days.
Many would agree an organisation or leadership structure will be at risk if a “Mr. Know-it-All” leadership approach is at the helm despite changing circumstances. The organisation is most likely doomed to fail, an eventuality known to most but often a mistake made by leaders. So many write-ups and research on circumstantial leadership styles will be left for another time. But to all capable leaders, consider the situation, weigh the consequences (effect on family members, followers and the organisation) and then make the call. Effectively, there is no single best style of leadership to fit all circumstances. That has been proven time after time. In essence, to be cognizant of shifting times is another key trait of a good leader.
Leadership Must-haves
Leaders should ensure the majority of their followers feel rewarded and fulfilled to see continuous support and sustainable results. This is a statement often misinterpreted by leaders where financial well-being is the answer. Undoubtedly, leaders cannot please everyone. If leaders have the majority support, things will move, culture will be shaped and internal disruption can be overcome with relative ease.
A wide range of sub-points here will be condensed into several short paragraphs for business leaders to ponder upon. Let’s look at some common leadership must-haves at a macro level.
Firstly, empowerment. It is often said that a good leader will ensure he or she will work him/herself out of the role. It is ironic and contradictory at times, but that’s how an excellent leader should plan for his or her eventual exit or drawdown by allowing progressive and orderly empowerment. Among the principles of this subject are letting go progressively, building bench-strength and listening. One of the most basic signs of empowerment issues (or the lack of it) is not allowing your followers to complete a core part of their sentences or ideas. Secondly, it is forgetting what was spoken before. The dynamics of this for a leader believing in it can be reshaped by allowing the above while seeking followers help to recap key decisions discussed. These are initial steps to improve an empowerment culture, especially in allowing ideas to flow and sowing the seeds across the organisation.
Secondly, tolerance. In different industries or sectors, such a concept may seem implausible but in general the thought process behind it is the ability of a leader to tolerate forgivable mistakes, especially rectifiable or recoverable mistakes. This is easier said than done, and there is a limit to everything. The weakest part of any organisation is to be dealt with resolutely and repeat mistakes may need penalties or enhancement in training for deterrence. Tolerating mistakes does not mean unnecessary leniency and allowing problems to infest into a systemic tragedy. This is where a leader will have to step in to ensure mistakes are rectified, recovery is done, gaps are closed, processes are updated to avoid future incidents and lessons are shared where possible, including people-related causes.
Thirdly, engagement. Having a competitive pay will likely be a hygiene motivational factor for most employees. Beyond pay, most will agree on the need for and importance of mental as well as psychological motivation. Engagement can be a key in meeting that need. Engagement can come in many shapes and sizes, including hand-written notes, public gestures of appreciation, simple text messages, periodic townhalls, etc. All of these approaches are encouraged for motivational and communication purposes, but personalised styles often yield better results. In line with the need of engagement, the concept of a “power nap” is brought into picture herein. Most will acknowledge that power naps have a positive impact to energy and ability to function better. While some leaders can spend quality time to discuss work, personal matters and issues, many may not be able to do so. Depending on the organisational size, a power nap approach or short engagement session of 20 to 30 minutes can be effective if deployed in the right frequency and tone. No productive or contributing follower will enjoy if he or she is left behind, not getting feedback or treated as “let him/her be”. In an organisation where culture has been generally positive, a short, positive and constructive power nap engagement session, be it in a small group of common interests or one-to-one by a leader, will provide the much-needed megawatts of energy, needed clarity and motivation for the follower to charge forward.
Fourth, respect. Respect is a pivotal culture to be driven by seniors and leaders to be cascaded down. Many aspects and perspectives come into picture when dealing with this subject. Examples include age discrepancies, market relevance, conversational styles and knowledge gaps. Every issue can be a source of argument, disagreement or even strategy execution failure. A leader ideally should understand what are the complexities and factors of respect he or she is facing or lacking when dealing with followers. The outcome of this widely practiced culture of mutual respect will be enormous and enjoyable for the organisation and the followers.
And finally walk the talk, whenever possible. This is by far one of the most difficult traits a leader should have. A concept, idea, process and line of thought being preached and expressed strongly by a leader should be also how a leader should act. If a leader chooses to quote opinions and criticise mistakes of others which are not in alignment, any follower would expect no such mistake or act be made anymore. While ideal, it is not possible at all times. In the rare circumstances where one of these strongly expressed views is not in practice, a leader should explain and clarify when appropriate as a good and positive add-on practice.
Leadership is a Privilege
The above are views and opinions in relation to common leadership topics, applicable in general for most businesses and organisations. There are materially more qualified views, subjects, topics, readings and studies by many subject matter experts to refer to. Sitting back and realising the above issues would be a great start to a more meaningful leadership path. Most of these leadership issues would probably be familiar when viewed from the view of the employee and potentially not openly expressed.
Consider a sincere, truthful and quality engagement session to gauge these unheard views in one’s quest to become a good leader. Being a leader is a privileged responsibility where many will look up to for direction, attitude and the future. It is never easy to be a leader, and that is why only a handful can be accorded with such privileges and associated responsibilities. If one feels that your leadership ability can and should be further enhanced or in need of additional guidance, allow yourself be trained, coached and mentored not only for your betterment but for the greater good of the organisation. A hallmark of a good leader is realising the need for him/her to be led, coached or mentored.
The author is the Director of Enterprise Banking, Affin Bank Berhad.
