09 Mar Leaders should inspire and influence
Leaders should inspire and influence. Something easier said than done.
If we fix our leadership style and expect those we lead to bend to our will, not only will we fall foul of the Platinum Rule (treat others as they want to be treated), but also find those following us thinned out to only those who are inspired by our chosen leadership style. That will not result in the high quality engineering or design we look to achieve.
Instead, if we flex our style, using our authenticity, we are more likely to inspire those we lead, create followship, and influence our people to achieve great results.
There are many facets to achieving performance and commitment with those we look to lead. Holding a honest mirror to our leadership style and methods can be hard. Even when provided with constructive feedback we tend to argue points based on our gut, a feeling, or small data sets. There are many tests and tools you could try, the simplest test of that mirror is to look at those you inspire and influence and ask: “can I expect my people to do what it takes to succeed in my absence?” If the answer is “yes”, you can have confidence your self-assessment may be a good assessment.