I have four thoughts about what great leaders do that are unique. See how many you can guess.
To begin, wrap your mind around this thought-provoking quote from McKinsey in 2017:
“A recent study of more than 600,000 researchers, entertainers, politicians, and athletes found that high performers are 400 percent more productive than average ones. Studies of businesses not only show similar results but also reveal that the gap rises with a job’s complexity. In highly complex occupations—the information- and interaction-intensive work of managers, software developers, and the like—high performers are an astounding 800 percent more productive.”
- Extraordinary leaders master recruiting, selecting, coaching, and developing the best talent. They put extra effort into finding the best of the best and keeping them highly engaged.
Do you want to be an outstanding leader and give your company a competitive advantage? Study how the best people and organizations recruit and manage talent. Many people say they put extra effort into the process, but that’s not the case. It requires so much time and attention that leaders get distracted and sub-optimize it. They outsource a lot of the process and don’t lead others to get the best.
I understand—top talent is scarce, and there is a war for talent. Most of us have been frustrated with not being able to find the person we want and have become desperate to fill the position. The trap is to rationalize that having someone in the role is better than not having someone and to sell out to the person in front of you.
How could you commit to be better at recruitment and development?
- Extraordinary leaders instinctively know what levers to pull to properly manage and motivate their team to perform at a high level.
These leaders didn’t learn this from a textbook. First, they have a talent for it. In StrengthsFinder themes, it could be the combination of Developer and Maximizer. Not only does each person have to perform at a high level, but their team also must work synergistically. Whenever there is one weak link or conflict on the team, they lose output: less productivity, less creativity, less risk-taking, less fun – just less of everything valuable.
Not only do they have talent, but they also desire to lead others to use their full potential—to get the most out of each individual and collectively how they work together. These leaders track their success based on how strong their team is and how well they play together. They are positive motivators and know how to collaborate. They model to their team how to work together.
Another thing they do extremely well is modify their leadership style and personality to maximize every interaction. They slightly modify their communication with every person to maximize their influence. They specialize in developing incredible trust and respect. They connect and build relationships with a diverse group of people, and that relationship inspires their people.
What are you doing today to be this kind of leader? What can you start doing?
- Extraordinary leaders develop strong influence with their boss and bosses’ boss.
I hear you say, ‘duh,’ but this is often the most challenging part of a leader’s responsibilities. We don’t like to talk about it. Usually, we say the person who prioritizes this is an ass-kisser, but that’s not always true. Using the same skills in #2 with your boss and their boss is more challenging. It requires meaningful interaction, and often, we don’t get exposure to it. So, the usual way of developing relationships doesn’t always work.
Moreover, is the challenge of telling the truth to power. When we do that, we risk losing some relationship capital with some bosses. The opposite is true as well: When we don’t challenge the boss or bosses’ boss, we can lose relationship capital. It’s a tricky balance but one that extraordinary leaders balance well.
Special note: The politics in every organization can neuter any leader. Extraordinary leaders know how to survive and not lose their influence. I failed miserably at this, and I don’t feel I can say much because of my failures. However, it is a critical area that is often left out of many leadership development programs.
How can you develop a stronger relationship with your boss?
- Extraordinary leaders are always at their best – managing and leading themselves with expertise to continually get the most out of their skills and abilities. They do not have blind spots and have excellent emotional intelligence skills.
I imagine this sounds like table stakes to some of my readers. I had to include this item because I still find a few people who have achieved excellence. There are plenty of brilliant leaders but few wise leaders with excellent self-management and self-awareness skills. And even fewer who have tremendous curiosity skills. Curiosity may be the game changer in this category.
Managing myself includes not trying to be the most intelligent person in the room and being uber-curious about what others have to say. It’s rare for executives to have this kind of curiosity, but for those who do, their team will walk through a wall for them.
Are you actively developing your emotional intelligence and curiosity skills?