Managing workplace change is demanding and difficult, and one of the keys to doing it well is to nurture the leadership skills of your employees.
When organizational change seems to be a regular event, it may seem overwhelming to be the one “at the top” responsible for keeping everyone and everything running smoothly.
The good news is that you don’t have to do it all on your own. Sure, you may be the manager, the one your team looks to for direction and decisions, but that doesn’t mean you are the only leader among them.
There are informal leaders on any team and the wise leader will draw on their initiative and influence to get certain things done.
Remember though, that leading others and controlling others is not the same thing. And building leadership in others is more than simply delegating tasks.
Leadership is a combination of key behaviours that anyone has the potential to use at anytime.
In fact, many people show natural tendencies to organize groups and rally enthusiasm in others to get a job done without realizing how skilled they are at it.
Think about all the volunteer activities people get involved in. Some naturally gravitate to leadership roles – organizer of a local triathlon event, director on a board for a professional association or coordinator of special community event.
Just like running a successful event, there needs to be a designated leader at the top to oversee everything as well as leadership on the ground to organize and manage all the event activities.
It’s the same in the workplace so how do you, as a formal leader, recognize the leadership potential of others on your team? Here are three key behaviours to watch for.
First and foremost is how well someone is able to influence others in a positive, productive way.
Second is the ability to see how everyone’s roles and tasks fit into the big picture; in other words evidence that the individual operates with a clear understanding of the company’s vision and business goals.
Third is the person’s ability to deal with problems effectively and efficiently and make informed decisions within their realm of authority.
It won’t always be obvious who has true leadership ability or at least potential for it. Particularly during times of organizational change, you may need to pay closer attention to workplace dynamics and tune in to how people are interacting with each other.
Some people naturally have more of an outgoing personality, and it is important to note that this does not mean they are natural leaders. In fact, to some of the quieter people they may be perceived as pushy or even aggressive.
Informal leadership is about influence, initiative and focused action and when it’s used positively, it creates productive, self-motivated teams.
If you are in a designated leadership role, you know that at the best of times, managing the people side of change well presents a major challenge on many levels.
So there is tremendous wisdom in encouraging leadership behaviour within your team and leveraging that support to engage all your employees and let them know how important they are to the success of your business.
Written by Laurie Mills. Originally published in the Capital News, Kelowna, BC, 2009.