At first glance it might seem like a pretty silly question. After all, isn’t moving from an individual contributor role to one that takes on management of people and a business unit the natural next step on the corporate ladder? Management is actually a huge responsibility and not many succeed in doing it well. Just take a look at the tons of books written by ‘gurus’ on the subject.
In the marketing, communications, design and media industries, the most important element is people. Motivating people to perform at their best and collectively deliver stellar performances is ultimately the yardstick on which every manager is measured. In order to do so consistently, the retention of key people is vital. In today's market, employees with skills and talents are highly sought after and have the freedom to choose whether to follow you or move to a better option.
Not all people in management positions can lead. I am sure we have all had experiences with bad leaders in our careers. Experts believe that through evolution, animals and humans are all programmed to instinctively evaluate the leadership potential of those around them for the sake of their own survival. Data has clearly shown that the team with a good leader always outperforms.
So what attributes make a good leader? Here are my picks:
1. Trustworthy. Trust is the basis of all relationships. People want a leader they can trust to keep their word, to back them up in times of crisis and take the lead under good or bad circumstances. People might initially give you the benefit of the doubt but trust is something that must be earned in the long run through actions and not just words.
2. Decisive. There are no certainties in life but a good leader must have the foresight and wisdom to make educated and informed decisions. Not all decisions are going to be the right decisions but if something goes pear-shaped, a good leader needs to re-evaluate and fix the issue or change course.
3. Player/ manager. It is my opinion that people today don’t blindly follow a leader's instructions. Perhaps it’s the Gen Y syndrome. Leaders must be prepared to roll up their sleeves and show team members how it’s done. If I show them that I can do it, there is no reason why they can’t. To be able to do that a leader needs to be competent to gain credibility.
4. Setting the vision. A good leader must have the ability to clearly visualise where the individual and the business will be in three to five years time and have a plan to get there. If the staff members are adequately paid (to meet more than their basic lifestyle needs), the most important staff retention strategy is a career plan for key staff.
5. Connection. A good leader must be able to connect and communicate his or her vision, strategy and decisions clearly and often. Emotional attachment is like a roller coaster; we have good and bad days, weeks and months. Keep everyone engaged through constant reminders of the bigger picture and the end goal of achieving something spectacular.
So before you put your hand up, ask yourself why you want to be a manager? It might be ego, ambition, monetary rewards, recognition, power or a combination of all these things, but ultimately to be successful as a manager you must want to take the lead.
What do you think are the attributes that make a good leader? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Steven Pang, Director at Fireband Group
This article was first published in Steven’s blog