This article is a part of a collection of posts that are all related to the leadership model, that I developed during my 35 year corporate career. The tone of this post will be personal, since I am sharing the experiences that contributed to me drafting this model.
LEADERS is an acronym for my leadership model. It is simplified to share the message that growing and developing as a leader is really quite straight forward. There is no need to complicate the process of becoming a proficient leader.
LEADERS stands for Listening, Empowering, Achieving, Directing, Educating, Recognizing and Serving. These are the 7 essential traits of leaders. Each of them must be mastered individually, and collectively they will support any leader in any role.
The conversation with potential leaders seems, all too often. to be focused on the challenges, barriers to entry and the uphill learning curve. My experience showed me that when talking with potential leaders, it is good to first ask some questions to understand what their passion points might be before diving into the pain points and scaring them off all together.
When people have an interest in leadership, it is the mentor or leader’s responsibility to ensure that the conversation is supporting and encouraging them. That starts with modeling Achieving for any potential leader. Keep in mind, that achieving is not limited to potential leaders. Leaders who serve others are far more likely to be more proficient and successful.
Achieving is embedded in the LEADERS model because of the impact it has on people. When people produce excellent results, create win- win outcomes and see their successes along the way; they are more inclined to perform well and be more engaged with their workplace.
Leaders who have the confidence in themselves to be able to take on the responsibilities and tasks associated with achieving, will find themselves a rarity in the workplace. They will be more successful with this as a part of their leadership model.
Leaders who have an inherent passion for people as a part of their motivating drivers, are more likely to get this aspect of the model earlier on in the learning process. This is not to say, that leaders cannot find the ways to adopt achieving into their leadership model, it takes focused attention to make it a reality.
When leaders include achieving into their leadership model, they can follow a simple strategy, that is supported by specify actions, to support its integration. Leaders who are open and willing to partner with a leadership coach, will find the learning curve far less arduous. There are numerous ways for leaders to be supported while they develop their leadership model.
Achieving is a part of the overall LEADERS leadership model and when leaders, integrate it with the other essential traits, they are on their way to being a proficient, respected, trusted and successful leader in their organizations and businesses.