Investor's Business Daily, April 18th, 2007
If you're a chief executive or division head, ask yourself this question: How effective are you as a leader?
Aubrey Daniels and James Daniels, brothers who wrote the book "Measure of a Leader," suggest that to answer that question, ask yourself a few more.
Such as:
How many workers assume leadership roles? Top leaders produce more leaders; they don't hold people back. Make that the mantra companywide, the authors say, and your work force will advance.
So will your ability to influence. If each of your employees leads another, your impact will multiply.
How often do followers admit mistakes? Do employees feel free to confess a failure or fault, or do they feel it will be used against them? Cultures that promote trust at every level also promote learning, the authors say.
Workers feel free to reveal knowledge gaps, and co-workers openly help fill them.
How many divisions assist other units? Consider this: When a division boosts productivity, does the unit manager make sure other divisions aren't burdened by resulting bottlenecks? Do managers ensure that other units benefit from their progress -- or do they let them fend for themselves?
When units seek ways to assist other departments or divisions, barriers disappear and efficiency levels soar, the authors note.
Forging common ground out of workers' diverse interests -- making sure those interests overlap -- should be the priority, says management researcher James O'Toole, author of "Leadership A to Z."
How often do workers assist peers? Cooperation has to be reinforced from the top down, the Daniels brothers say. Cooperation companywide produces huge benefits, from the reduction of errors to a reduced need for management intervention.
How many people meet their commitments? The benchmark by which to measure worker commitment is the leader's behavior, say the brothers.
If commitment, enthusiasm and persistence levels are low throughout the firm, look first to top-tier management. Commitment at the top is nonexistent or not being communicated properly.
To boost commitment levels, create incentives.
Expand employees' sphere of influence, say James Kouzes and Barry Posner, authors of "The Leadership Challenge." Encourage creative solutions and worker flexibility in getting tasks done. Define jobs in ways that stress worker interaction.
How many employees can identify the leader's values? How many workers can cite instances where the leader has exemplified his values? These are perhaps the two most important questions you can ask, the Daniels brothers say.
Fail to live your stated values and you lose trust. With that gone, you've lost everything.
How many people link everyday efforts to the leader's vision? How closely do worker behaviors match the leader's priorities? When the newness of a strategy wears off, do workers stay focused -- or do they need continual direction?
