We now come to the another three principles of Leadership, they are Estimation Of Effort, Passion, and Recruitment/Morale/Support.
4 – Estimation Of Effort
In addressing the issues that affect the Focus Group it sometimes seems that there is so much to be done that it is easy to be discouraged.
The old saying that it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness is relevant here.
Success tends to breed success, so it is essential that a leader has the ability to estimate what effort it takes to address certain issues that, if resolved, will have a wider impact – a kind of multiplier effect.
In this, it is usually better to address a small number of issues that have a good chance of success than to tackle too much too soon and be unsuccessful.
Our success also needs to be managed properly – and this is a leadership responsibility.
What I mean by this is that if successful in one area we need to keep it in perspective, and not neglect other areas just because we have had success in one.
It is a bit of a cliché to say that in addressing the most important issues for our Focus Group the most important resource is our people. I’d like to qualify that by stating that the most important resource is not people per se, but people-who-want–to-do-the-work, people who are enthusiastic and are willing and able to maintain their enthusiasm.
In estimation of effort I also include the desirability of leading intelligently – sometimes resolving one issue can lead to pressure being eased in other areas. (Like I said in a previous post, creating an atmosphere where workers feel heard, and that their opinions are valued, can avoid countless other staff problems).
This type of leadership can go on in the background without any fanfare or change management policies and while it may have low noticeability it really does have high impact. (In other words, we don’t know it’s there until it’s gone).
The little but constant effort that goes into creating and sustaining such an atmosphere saves huge amounts of time and effort.
5 – Passion
Passion and its good companion, hunger are very important in the kind of leadership that I described earlier. It is particularly needed in invitational leadership.
But the passion doesn’t stop with the leader.
It is essential that a leader has patience to allow staff to reveal what they are passionate about, what they are good at, what they hunger for, and then (within the boundaries of the organisation and the work) let them play the role that they want to play.
Sometimes it’s obvious to others but they don’t know themselves!
And some staff are straight out of the blocks, hit the ground running kind of people with what they want to do and what they are good at, and others are just as passionate but are shyer about their talents and doubt themselves, so it takes time and patience – and trust – to discover them.
Passion (I believe anyway) has an inspirational effect on people in deep distress. And remembering systems theory, we know that inspiration will spread through an organisation and have an effect on everyone.
When people who are in crisis seek help, they do not generally look for someone’s accreditation or what their qualifications are. They are drawn to people who are both compassionate and passionate, because just like any emotion, passion will be felt rather than taught.
I also believe that if a leader allows people to do what they are passionate about and good at they will work with a spirit of generosity.
And the experience of generosity (and kindness), i.e. we don’t want anything back – we just want to help, is transformative in itself.
6 – Recruitment/Morale/Support:
A leader generally has a pivotal role in recruitment, and I believe that leaders, when recruiting, need to be self-aware enough to hire people who have different traits to themselves.
A leader leads.
A leader doesn’t have to know everything about, or be an expert in, or be the best at everything. The organisation needs to be led so that it will be attractive to people who have different skills to address the issues that I described in this post, (that, as I also stated, are sometimes life-and-death), and that require something radical and different to be done.
Time and space are needed to take the risks that need to be taken to achieve results.
In addition to recruitment, a leader is responsible for morale of staff.
Working with families in deep distress is fulfilling and enjoyable for those who wish to do it but can be stressful and onerous for those who do not. It is important to create an enjoyable, positive work culture, where employees work hard because they know they are appreciated, where they are allowed to have some fun, and feel at ease in each other’s company.
The leader then needs to support those people in their work. I believe that people look to a leader for support, example, guidance and wisdom, and this is why the loss of a leader almost always has implications from the point of view of morale. When workers get accustomed to a particular personality it is sometimes difficult for them (and everyone in the organisation) to get used to a new one.
And no matter how good or confident someone is at their job, they still need regular recognition and affirmation from their leader. It’s amazing how many stories I hear from workers who get little or no affirmation. Its positive effects are known for decades (formally) and as long as we have been on the planet (informally).
Also, I believe that higher pay is only one of many motivational factors that ensures better work!
Staff will need to work within the boundaries of the organisation, and be supported in that. Support can come in the form of informal supervision, formal supervision, training, casual affirmations etc.
But (I believe anyway) the most supportive of all is interest in what they are doing and what they are good at. Many workers that I know (and have known) are like flowers growing in desert soil – never tended, and rarely nurtured or enlivened.
In the realm of morale, I will also mention size – which will be covered in more detail later.
I believe that if an organisation is too big and unwieldy there is little opportunity for leadership to be attentive to, and supportive of everybody’s work – which is where encouraging leadership at different levels of organisations is important.
In fostering of morale, I believe that it is good practice to create an atmosphere where it is easy to have difficult conversations – particularly with the leader…….