The Tribune

By IAN FERGUSON WE have been working through our 21st century definition of a leader as being one who builds relationships, nurtures staff abilities and, through that talent, accomplishes goals and objectives. We have stated emphatically that individuals (with or without a title) who demonstrate all these defining qualities in significant measure can be truly called LEADER. Yes, is it true that many among us who are named general manager, vice-president or even owner/operator operate in their leadership roles without leadership skills. Often, as we evaluate their performance, we can unequivocally agree that these individuals have been able to demonstrate proficiency in one or two of the defining qualities, but fall short in another. For example, there are many persons in leadership roles who, through various forms of manipulation and intimidation, successfully accomplish goals and objectives. The act of corporate bullying, however, exposes the leader's inability to form healthy relationships with team members or even cultivate the talents they possess. Our leadership series is aimed at creating a new breed of holistic leaders who will break the existing management paradigm and operate at a new level and distinction in leadership. The Chamber Voice encourages each leader reading this series to remove the mask and make deliberate strides towards becoming more impactful. In this article we share seven leadership principles that will begin to awaken, in Bahamian industry, a spirit of leadership excellence. Leaders must have integrity It is true that we judge our leaders on a different plateau. We believe by virtue of the fact that they are the pace setters, our leaders should exercise a high degree of discipline in ethical behaviour, personal chastity and moral uprightness. They must be fair, and must walk the walk, not merely talk the talk. Leaders create other leaders We have shared this many times before and will not belabour the point. Leaders simply must prepare their successors to be stronger and more influential than they were. Leaders establish the vision The leader is expected to have eagle eyesight. The leader must see the organisation 10 years down the road in a more successful light, and help each participant in the process use their skills to realise that great potential. Effective leaders help us see the big picture. Leaders rally the team Leaders are not one-man bands. They are truly team players who motivate the entire team to accomplish the tasks at hand. They leave no one out of the picture and enlist every voice in the choir. This happens best when leaders clearly articulate roles assigned to each team member and provide the resources that will empower them to succeed. Leaders are accountable Leaders hold themselves to high work performance standards. This means, then, that leaders must have a high degree of technical competence. They must know their specific roles as well as cross-functional roles, and perform with above average technical astuteness. Leaders communicate effectively We typically mark our leaders as charismatic individuals who communicate with energy and passion. Even Adolf Hitler, Fidel Castro and other dictators have used the power of communication to manipulate those they lead. The leader must, though, open the lines of communication, allowing and giving the employee the opportunity to share openly and respectfully. If we have built up communication barriers and people feel uneasy to approach us, perhaps we need to perform self-assessment. Leaders reward and recognise excellence Everyone loves to be recognised for the outstanding contributions they make. The leader must see and affirm the good in each employee. It is in doing this that the positive behaviours are repeated, and unwanted behaviours discouraged. Build your leadership base by enrolling your leaders in the Chamber Institute Leadership Academy. The Academy will be launched April 2, 2012. For more details, contact Latoya Swain at lswain@thebahamaschamber.com or 322.2145. NB: About the author Ian R. Ferguson has a Master's Degree in Education from the University of Miami. During the course of his nearly 20 years in education, talent management and human resources, he has served both the public and private sector. He currently serves as manager of the Chamber Institute.