LEADERSHIP POWER-POINT 15

THE ABC's OF LEADERSHIP (DEF)

Delegation and Delivery. Delegation can be described as the assignment of a specific project or tasks to team members. Delegation does not imply that the leader assigns their undesirable tasks to the staff. It can include the assignment of tasks that may challenge staff, and possibly move the staff out of their comfort zone. Employees should be aware that delegation is not simply management pushing tasks top-down, rather, it can be an opportunity for staff to broaden their skill sets and scope of responsibilities.

Delivery refers to how a leader delivers messages. This includes everything from success stories to discipline of direct reports. The leader's delivery method and style leaves an impression on the staff. Staff members desire leaders with solid decision making and the ability to maintain their composure regardless of the situation. For example, if a leader has to terminate someone due to layoffs, the staff may create a mental note of the leader's behavior as this unfortunate situation unfolds. Regardless of the outcome, staff will recall how the leader delivered the news. This in turn impacts the staff's impression of the leader.

Exemplify excellence. Leaders have the opportunity to represent themselves in a positive light. Just as clinicians rely upon contemporary medical practices, leaders should strive to use modern leadership and management techniques, such as best practices, consensus building, and benchmarking. The ability of a leader to exemplify excellence can have a trickle-down effect. When staff observe leaders being innovative, meticulous, and in constant pursuit of optimal performance, staff may become motivated to pursue their own level of excellence.

Lead by example: Effective leaders not only have the ability to speak about the level of performance that they desire, their behavior endorses their philosophy. Presenting ideas and concepts to a team is great; however, following up on these theories and assisting with their development is even a greater contribution. This can also be viewed as the time when the "rubber meets the road." In essence, the leader presents the ideas and then supports the vision with action. This creates a positive energy for the leader and staff alike.

Focus. Leaders must develop a clear vision, mission and goals and frequently remind their followers of what these are. As leaders we are charged with helping others to clearly see the goal of our collective efforts.