Most of you who follow my writings (ranting?) will know that I don't care much for ‘charismatic’ leadership style. I would rather put my money on plain simple effective leaders.
I don’t have anything against these charismatic types but they just tire me. They become legends so undeservedly and go around strutting their stuff as if the world is indeed their oyster. Of course they get away with it as after all they are indeed….well…charismatic. They have their persona to carry them through the day. Until bad times come calling that is.
So, for all you charismatic leaders out there, here is a list of things you need to do NOW to earn your keep during the tough months ahead:
1.Go and find out how the various critical tasks are actually carried out around you. Go to the manufacturing floor. Take a ride with the delivery guys. Sit in during one of the weekly departmental meetings. Visit the Chinese kitchen of your hotel. Stand behind the ticketing officers of your airline. Have a cup of coffee at the staff cafeteria. Just be where the action is! Oh yes…I know you have done this before but this time I would like you to do it with a difference….Shut up and listen! Enough of your ‘positive attitude’.Enough of your ‘we can do it’ bravado. Now is the time for measured confidence layered with sincerity and honesty. Winston Churchill didn’t go raving about how the Brits are going to crush the Germans with one clean sweep for good reason. He told the Brits all the hard work and sacrifices they need to do and partake in….and then…only then…he told them of the possibilities of victory. He was honest and sincere and his people obeyed.
2.Take more interests in your numbers and figures. Get your financial people to explain to you where it hurts and what needs to be done. If you are too dense to understand the whole complexities of financial data (which I am too) get a trusted associate to explain it to you. Take a cue from Idris Jala, the MD of Malaysia Airlines who said that he didn't have to be an airline guy to know immediately what was ailing the company when he took a closer look at the numbers.
3.Reward innovativeness. If you have been as effective as a charismatic leader as I suspect you must have been, trust me when I tell you that you would have killed of many sources of innovative ideas in your company. Why? Because…..everybody else could never measure up against you. Or at least that is the impression you have been giving them unwittingly.
4.Seek out the status-quo challengers. It’s easy to find them as all you have to do is ask your managers. Seek their input as these rebels never see things as their managers do and you will be surprised to hear the creative solutions these ‘trouble-makers’ might have.
5.Encourage as many informal meetings that you can. In times of crisis, as undoubtedly today is, informal sharing sessions will be much more effective to drill further into the creative depths of your company that hitherto you did not have access to. Listen to these voices and make sense of them in business terms and immediately implement those that can help you improve your bottom line. Surely, more of such valuable ideas will be forthcoming.
So, go do something worthwhile for a change!
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