Page 5 - KZN Business Sense - Vol4 No1 - eBook

QUALITY LEADERSHIP... IT IS ABOUT

AUTHENTICITY AND STYLE!

David White, CEO, to leadership. Management overcome obstacles along the Lao Tzu, the ancient Chinese to speak and interact with their
DRG Outsourcing deals with planning, organising path towards success. But just philosopher and writer, wisely team members, they recognise
and controlling activities being authentic on its own is said, “A leader is best when people the value of individual and team
and initiatives. Although not enough to ensure great barely know he exists, when his contributions, and realise that
s Samuel management is an essential tool leadership. Great leaders also work is done, his aim fulfilled, without focused and energised
Johnson in ensuring the basic foundations need to have empathy for people they will say: we did it ourselves”. people and team, desired
Asaid in of business transactions are in their teams and those under outcomes are difficult to meet.
1759 “No man was planned and completed, it is their influence, and a sense of Great leaders share their beliefs
ever great by different to leadership in that wanting to help direct others and values, and encourage Great leaders essentially have
imitating,”. leadership is about creating to align with their real and team members who have core competencies in the work
It is self- productive work environments, purposeful selves. When we similar beliefs and values to they are doing. They contribute
evident and helping to ensure that refer to our real self, it is that participate in decision making their expertise to functional
that great desired outcomes are reached. self that cares for others and and enjoy outcomes and activities, organisational strategy
leaders Management, therefore, is about collectively agreed outcomes. successes. Engaging diversity and enterprise sustainability.
are ‘out- coordinating and controlling Self is never about personally and encouraging team members They share their vision with
front’ in every venture. They activities, and leadership is about directed activities for personal to bring more than their their team, helping everyone
are not buglers with clarion inspiring purpose and collectively outcomes. Being authentic does qualifications and experience to to understand the desires and
calls, but quiet, thoughtful and meeting desired outcomes. allow some flexibility to express work is essential for helping to outcomes expected, and allow
controlled. They are role models, our subjective selves, but if create a productive and healthy their team members some
essential to individual and group Let’s look at some of the these are not aligned with team work environment. It is not flexibility in how these desires
development and growth. We are characteristics that great leaders expectations and commonly enough to just have a competent and outcomes are achieved.
comfortable in their presence as display in their day to day activities. agreed milestones, they can be resource coming to work on Great leaders do not compromise
they bring calmness and a sense destructive, and may require time and following a carefully on integrity, loyalty and
of purpose. They are comfortable in their refocus and repair. designed job description or role professionalism, but recognise
own space. They know who profile. Just doing what others that their team members
There are other important
Are great leaders born or created? they are, know where they are leadership aspects that are have laid down for us to do does also have thoughts and ideas,
To some degree we are all born going, and are under no illusion essential in ensuring that goals not bring creative energy into the sometimes far better than they
with a sense of service to others. about their own strengths and and milestones are reached. Great workplace. We want people to feel could conceive themselves. They
From this perspective we are born weaknesses. Yes of course leaders have a sense of where they that they belong and that in them understand that the combined
with a foundation to lead, but this great leaders have weaknesses, are going and very often have a bringing their wholeness to work contribution is often far more
virtue may lie dormant until we everyone does, but great leaders deep-seated belief in how they will it will foster synergistic values real and productive than an
are forced through circumstance are able to attract the right get to where they want to be. They and outcomes. old school “leader” micro-
to ‘take the lead’. We may rise to people to help them, those have vision and articulate these Great leaders realise that managing a process and missing
the occasion but equally not get who have natural strengths in dreams in such a way that we are they need others to help them opportunities for innovative
it right first time. If individuals the areas where they may have inspired to want to identify with reach goals and milestones. approaches to leveraging
looking to leadership are shortcomings, and they empower the vision, and follow the leader to Although they may have different enterprise and revenue growth.
patient, they will soon discover these people to contribute and realise its outcome. personality types, they do tend Great leaders actively grow and
what works or does not. They share their vision and value. to have credible people skills and develop leadership qualities in
then begin to learn skills that We are most comfortable in Great leaders have a sense relationships. Great leaders are their team members. They teach
great leaders apply in their ourselves when we are being of wholeness, a realisation not necessarily the cleverest nor people to lead because leaders are
environments and relationships authentic... when we are being that contributions from team most fun and entertaining people, thinkers, rather than mere doers,
with others. ourselves, and doing work members are critical in creating
and activities that come to us a productive and engaged work but they do have a sincerity in thinkers will enable the best
Leadership is certainly a naturally – and with interest. environment. The team needs to working with people. They have possible outcome. 
learned skill, although some, want to reach the milestones and a deep understanding of the
the fortunate few, are born Often, we hear that the best goals as much as the leader, and emotions and feelings that their DRG Outsourcing (Pty) Ltd
with the talent of knowing leaders are those who are when they do, they too want to team members go through when Tel: +27 (0) 31 767 0625
how to inspire and lead others. authentic. Being authentic feel like they contributed to the working on projects or working Fax: +27 (0) 31 767 3280
Management too is a learned carries with it a natural energy success of the initiative. toward meeting challenging david@drg.co.za
skill, but it is quite different that is creative and able to goals. Great leaders know how www.drg.co.za

5