Leading Success: Keys to Excellence

I manage highly talented and creative professionals to deliver innovative products and services. I often get into a dilemma of when to stop thinking about how to solve the problem and start coaching these teams to make them high performing teams. It is not that I am inclined to exert excessive control or paying to much attention to details. Now equipped with my newly acquired knowledge of new science of leadership, I started to think differently. I stopped doing the work of my teams. I started coaching them to perform. Though I enjoy solving problems or would love to help my teams in solving complex problems or algorithms, I soon realized I have many other things to focus on. I started coaching them to best apply their knowledge and skills. I know they are all experts in their own areas. They don’t need to have answers to all questions.

I started playing a role of a real leader – providing opportunities for my teams to stretch and solve these problems on their own. I encouraged them to make mistakes – not to repeat the same mistakes again and again. I shifted my focus from being an expert to solve their problems to being their expert leader. Get to know the people you lead and forging solid relationships with them ensure trust and prevent miscommunication. Relationships work both ways so making sure your team knowing you enough is also equally important.

Delegation is element in making teams work effectively. When delegating, it is very important to explain why the assignment or particular milestone/deliverable is critical and how it fits into overall business goal. These high caliber individuals want to associate themselves or be part of something big. Establishing that connection early in the process motivates them to go overboard to do their best. Also, when they understand the business context, they can make better decisions on their own with very little or no supervision. Staying away from solving the problem by yourself and delegating it by clearly describing the describing the desired outcome. Encourage them to explore ideas, alternative solutions and determine the best course of action or decision. Stay away from feeding them with ideas or trying to come up with your own ideas. Instead start asking them questions and actively listen.

Feedback is essential element in understanding what your teams needs are in terms coaching and direction. At times, as a leader, you need to make some tough calls or decisions. Knowing when to tell  or call for an action is equally important.  Leaders must be accountable to themselves and to their people. Leaders often trapped in a sea of details, focusing on solving problems or analyzing spreadsheets ignoring the players in the game. At times like economic downturn or recession, leaders need to ensure that their people or teams know what is expected, and measured based on their performance, and help accountable for the results.

Synergy occurs when the outcome of the team is bigger than any individual could accomplish alone. Synergistic teams can accomplish almost anything and they are well prepared. As a leader you need to instill great confidence, trust and respect for their judgment.  When problems arise, the leader need not assume charge, but as a leader you must know who is best prepared for the current challenge. Leaders need to seek out and act on new information and remain strategically agile. Recognition of individual as well as collective efforts and celebrating the success is the catalyst for teams to work cohesively. Leadership requires skills polished until they shine brilliantly. Its purpose is to maximize the efforts of many, focusing energies in clear and specific direction. It assures the tools required for success are available and that everyone is prepared to use when needed.

The best leaders have an almost uncanny ability to understand the context they live in—and to seize the opportunities their times present. A leader’s long-term success isn’t derived from sheer force of personality or breadth and depth of skill. Without an ability to read and adapt to changing business conditions, personality and skill are but temporal strengths. A lack of contextual sensitivity can trip up even the most brilliant of executives. So if your organization is seeking to fill a key leadership position, you need to move past a candidate’s record of success and understand the contextual environment behind that record—and how that influences the context your company currently faces.