Source: http://www.barna.com/research/the-different-impact-of-good-and-bad-leadership/

POOR LEADERSHIP BREEDS FAILURE

Synergy. Poor company and departmental leadership also inhibits the development of synergy. Effective managers coordinate tasks within their departments and promote an atmosphere that encourages idea sharing and discussion. They get employees aligned in the pursuit of shared goals. Poor management may result in more fragmented departments and work roles, creating internal silos. This means that each employee neglects the importance his or her work plays in achieving overall company and departmental objectives.

Low Morale. Another possible consequence of poor leadership can be employees feeling misdirected or uncertain about the company and their jobs. Poor or lack of communication contributes to this issue. When overly critical managers demean or demoralize well-intentioned employees who make mistakes, the resulting negative environment may cause them to shut down emotionally. This can create cognitive gaps within the team, giving the belief they only “like” and listen to the people who look and think just like them.

 “You don’t lead by hitting people over the head—that’s assault, not leadership.” –Dwight Eisenhower

Lack of Communication & Engagement. It is important for employees to feel like they have a voice and that it is being heard from the top down. Likewise, they want to stay informed of decisions and activity within the company. Too often, a poor leader is unable to communicate effectively, which means important information that needs to be passed along instead falls on deaf ears or may be missed completely. The same can be said when there is a lack of understanding from the leader’s perspective. This all leads to decreased engagement from staff, impacting the overall business and goals.

http://www.barna.com/research/the-different-impact-of-good-and-bad-leadership/

THE BENEFITS OF GOOD LEADERSHIP

On the other end of the spectrum, good leadership can motivate and invigorate a company’s culture. Good leadership gives everyone in the company the confidence that they are under the guidance of someone who is credible and knowledgeable. Strong, focused leadership inspires people to try new concepts and venture into unknown territories that will develop both their personal and professional skills. By giving the team proper guidance, you will gain their trust and loyalty.

How can a leader make a positive impact on his/her team?

Diversify your team. Diverse teams feel less comfortable, and that’s why they perform better. In numerous studies, diversity both inherent (e.g., race, gender) and acquired (experience, cultural background) is associated with business success. Although an idyllic atmosphere may be difficult to achieve, employees nevertheless recognize the many strengths and talents that diversity brings to the workplace, and they gain respect for their colleagues’ performance. Workplace diversity preserves the quality of employees’ relationships with their co-workers and their leaders.

Take off your rose-colored glasses. Many leaders have unrealistic thoughts and expectations of what goes on within their organization and what it looks like to be successful. Good leaders engage with their employees to set realistic expectations and attainable goals for success together. Engagement is an emotional commitment to the overall organization and its goals when leaders take the time to forge an emotional bond with their employees. A leader should always have his or her finger on the pulse of the business through communication with the team.

Remove titles, positions and authority. Position, title and authority are often confused with leadership. We often read news reports that refer to anyone with a title as a “leader.” However, leadership is not an actual position or title. Whether you’re the president of a country or a chief executive officer, your title does not make you a leader. All a title does is make you a senior executive. Leadership happens when people allow you to influence their lives. It’s only when your influence causes people to work toward a shared vision that you become a leader. Leadership is more about influence and relationship than it is about control and giving orders. Influence can be changed by perceptions, relationships and trust.

http://www.barna.com/research/the-different-impact-of-good-and-bad-leadership/

HEADING TOWARD THE GOOD END OF THE SPECTRUM

The best leaders don’t lead from position. Nor is leadership attained by exercising control over others.

Leadership is the empowerment of oneself and others toward a shared vision. If you’re going to make a difference, you will need to sharpen your leadership skills. This means improving your influence and relationship with all your employees.

The bottom line is that all leaders lead in either a good direction or a bad direction, and the spectrum runs from exceptionally bad to exceptionally good. Although this direction may not be understood or consciously chosen, quite fortunately, we are all human and we thus all have the power of choice.

We can consciously choose to adjust our actions to always lead in the good direction to raise our performance and success in managing people. When you treat your employees with respect and appreciation for their performance, this will in turn give you the results you are looking for in your business.