Business Bites: How to be a better leader

Before considering how to be a better leader, first consider what the difference is between a manager and a leader.

There have been many definitions and comparisons over the years, but the following points have been taken from a 2019 Harvard Business School Business Insights blog by Matt Gavin, titled ‘Leadership vs. management. What’s the difference?’:

1. Process vs. vision

• Effective leadership is centred on a vision to guide change
• Managers set out to achieve organisational goals through implementing processes, such as budgeting, organisational structuring, and staffing, leaders are more intent on thinking ahead and capitalising on opportunities

2. Organising vs. aligning

• The manager administers, the leader innovates
• The manager maintains, the leader develops
• The manager focuses on systems and structure, the leader focuses on people
• Managers pursue goals through coordinated actions and tactical processes, or tasks and activities that unfold over stages to reach a certain outcome
• Leaders are less focused on how to organise people to get work done and more on finding ways to align and influence them

3. Position vs. quality

• The title ‘manager’ often denotes a specific role within an organisation’s hierarchy, while referring to someone as a ‘leader’ has a more fluid meaning
• Manager is a title. Having the position of manager does not make you a leader. The best managers are leaders, but the two are not synonymous
• Leadership is the result of action. If you act in a way that inspires, encourages, or engages others, you are a leader. It does not matter about your title or position. Leadership is a quality that needs to be shaped

So how do leaders make sure that they achieve positive impacts and build a business consisting of people working together towards a common goal? After all, that is at the core of good leadership and has not changed over the years of business and industry change we have observed. Without doubt, there is now a need to communicate more regularly and listen more effectively, embrace innovative technologies, and think more globally than before, but the basics have not changed.

Create a unifying vision for the business

This vision enables individuals in your business to recognise that they can achieve things as part of the team that they could never achieve alone. This is particularly important when you are delegating responsibilities that work towards a greater goal; the vision should unify the team behind a purpose which is exciting, aspirational, stretching, and encompasses people at all levels in the business.

Build an actionable strategy from the vision

A vision is great, but it needs a strategy to focus the business’s efforts and resources on actions that will in turn deliver successes. The leader must make decisions on how best to use the resources of the business to achieve the strategic goals, be that personnel, finances, equipment, or properties – and decide what to pursue and, more importantly, what not to pursue. Keeping focused on the overall goal without distraction.

Build the team to execute a strategy

Having the right people, with the appropriate skills and that ‘can do’ attitude is essential to delivering on the strategy. You cannot do it alone and need to build that talented team around you. If you are starting a new business, this may seem to be easier as you have it in your power to attract and recruit the identified talents that you need. You also need to ensure though that you are setting up a scenario where you will develop those people and retain them in the long term. Working with or inheriting an existing team can prove more of a challenge, but by giving clear expectations and support for individuals, it is possible to form that talented team who can execute the strategies of the business. It is recognised though that there may be times where it is necessary to replace team members who cannot be developed in the ways needed.

Deliver the required results

As a leader, you must focus on achieving results. This can be achieved through the points already covered in addition to the setting of clear goals and breaking larger goals into manageable tasks for individuals. It is vital to put in place review mechanisms to make progress easily visible and recognised by the team so that they can see the progress that they are achieving together. Achieving and recognising short-term successes will help to build momentum on the overall goal and build ownership and motivation within your team. It is important, however, to hold people accountable for delivering on their required actions.

Consider the future of the business

Regardless of the current or historic successes of the business, there needs to be a view to the future and thoughts around how the business can maintain success and remain competitive. This is done by constantly challenging the status quo within the business and taking suggestions from all levels as to how the business can improve and innovate.

Personal development

Remember: leaders do not arrive as a finished article. They develop over time through self-reflection, understanding their strengths and weaknesses, acquiring new skills, and being open to learning.

Further reading
Forbes Coaches Council. 15 expert tips for turning leadership weaknesses into strengths. March 2023. Forbes.
Valcour M. Anyone can learn to be a better leader. November 2020. Harvard Business Review.

Interested in taking your management and leadership skills to the next level? Then find out about the ABDO Management and Leadership Training courses – now open for 2024 applications – by clicking on this link.