Leadership is a Journey and not a Destination
Leading a team of people, I have often thought why am I not able to get the results that I desire from my team. I must confess that most of the times, I have pinned the blame on my team or the lack of resources or the lack of access to people. But is it really about other people / thing / situations?
During a session on Leadership, the Program Facilitator Sama Taneja, delved on the 5 Ladders of Leadership. These are the positions that Leaders assume while managing their teams. The 5 Ladders are:
- Titan
- Relationship
- Results
- Commitment
- Respect
I will explain each Ladder in detail and what does each of this position mean for the Leaders. I will also explain what could be the possible results by assuming a position and pitfalls that he could face. Please note that a Leader may assume a Respect role for some employees and Titan role for others. Lets go.
1. Titan
Leaders who assume this role do not have any established relationship with the employees. Employees working such a Leader do not have a choice and it is a compulsion for them to work here. The moment they find a better job or a better opportunity they will leave. This is not an ideal role to assume. Employees give their bare minimum and are usually not involved in their work. They are a typical 9 – 5 employee who do not have any motivation to work in such an organization.
2. Relationship
Leaders connects with the team members. They often do it by either meeting them individually or connecting them in group but the purpose is to make connection. Team members understand the goal and purpose of the organization. They start giving a little bit more effort. Here, Leaders try to know the aspirations of their team members, what are their needs and wants and what are their fears. He tried to connect with them on a more personal level.
3. Results
Leaders lead here by example. The team members are inspired by what the Leaders do. The results produced by Leader is impactful and the team members up their game in this scenario. Commitment of the employees increases and they are inspired by the leadership. Leaders understand that they are the key to the results that they truly desire. They also understand that they are the bottleneck and if they want the company results to improve, it is they who must improve. The employees are disciplined because they see their Leader as disciplined.
4. Commitment
Leaders who are at this stage have established successful relationships with their team members. Leaders have produced results which has a powerful impact on the team members. Leaders strive to create more Leaders like them to lead the company. Leader are invested in the growth of their team members and works towards improving their results. Leaders help their team members develop new skills, identify new talents and assume new roles. Leaders also:
- Recruit Well
- Position People Right
- Equip People
- Prepare People for Success
5. Respect
Leader who are at this stage inspire people as they attract immense Respect. They become a role model for the team members. Leadership at this stage is Visual and Employees give their best for the organization. Examples are NR Narayana Murthy, Ratan Tata etc.
As you can see, results of an organization is not a function of the performance of the company but it is about the performance of the Leader.
After attending the session, I understood that If i have to bring in the results that I desire, instead of blaming my time, I must introspect my own performance and how could I inspire my team. I personally like to create an impact and set an example for the team to emulate. I also believe that I am responsible for the success of my team and the more they achieve success the better it is for my organization.
I do hope that you would have got some ideas and you would start meaningful conversations with yourself. Do drop in your thoughts on my Facebook or Linkedin or Twitter profile.
“Identify. Improve”
~RG~