10 critical elements of leadership

Vmax Consulting2 July 2014

2 July 2014

10 critical elements of leadership

1. Clarity of vision2. Visibility3. Engagement4. Courage5. Integration

6. Sustainability7. Value creation8. Culture 9. Learning10. Communication

2 July 2014

1. Clarity of vision

The successful leader has a clear and compelling vision of where they want to take the organisation. The vision provides an overarching context within which the strategic goals and deployed operational plans are set.

The vision is an unambiguous “go to” position, and not an iterative development of the business today with a range of issues resolved and problems addressed.

Never forget the importance of legacy. Do not build a vision that neglects the past or rejects it as failure, instead value and build on past successes and provide continuity.

2 July 2014

2. Visibility

The successful leader is highly visible, with excellent awareness of their own behaviours, and the impact of those behaviours on others. They understand that they are the role model of the organisational culture and the necessity of complete alignment of words and behaviours.

They demonstrate constancy of purpose and consistency of practice – having an unerring focus on the strategic and operational objectives whilst concurrently leading in a way which is consistent through time and consistent with the espoused performance culture.

2 July 2014

3. Engagement

The successful leader recognises the fundamental importance of engagement and strives to do this on both logical and emotional levels, understanding that both are required to gain true commitment.

They are highly empathic and understand keenly how to get the very best levels of commitment and engagement from their teams.

They purposefully create a performance culture that engages people throughout the business and ensures that they strive to do their very best to create business value through aligned contributions.

2 July 2014

4. Courage

The successful leader has the courage to make bold decisions which deliver business success. They constantly challenge the status quo and the ‘way things are done round here’ with an uncompromising drive for performance excellence at all levels. They deal with difficult decisions in a timely manner, neither prevaricating nor delaying, but ensuring the right decision is taken at the right time.

They understand that the pace and scale of change is increasing exponentially and strive to be at the forefront through innovative and creative approaches to shape markets, satisfy customers, and deliver value.

2 July 2014

5. Integration

The successful leader understands how the business integrates with the extended value chain. They create effective relationships within the value chain and the broader commercial and economic context within which they operate, and use these relationships to inform their strategy and practice with a focus on enhancing reputational positioning and driving sustainable competitive advantage.

They look at business processes in an holistic way, and recognise that the synergies gained through integration deliver value and seamless customer service.

2 July 2014

6. Sustainability

The successful leader focuses on creating sustainable competitive advantage at all times and measures business success in strategic terms and over short, medium and long-term planning horizons.

They look for ideas and strategies that create ongoing performance capability and capacity across the business which, in turn, enable future success in an increasingly challenging competitive environment. Short term value is desired but needs to concurrently create a platform for longer term growth and stability. In this way they constantly protect the continuity of the business

2 July 2014

7. Value creation

The successful leader strives to create value in everything they do, and measures value against the strategic and operational objectives, as well as from the perspective of key stakeholders. They recognise that value is very much more than a financial measure and constantly scan their competitive environment to identify how value is perceived and measured by their shareholders and their customers.

They are open to innovative approaches to create value and recognise that simply repeating the past results in a degradation of their value proposition.

2 July 2014

8. Culture

The successful leader understands their pivotal role in creating and sustaining the performance culture of the business. They role model the culture and support and challenge others to do likewise

They pay close attention to the definition of the performance culture and the processes through which it is made tangible, relevant and enabling.

They have an unremitting focus on what is done and how it is done and act as consistent, persistent and insistent champions of the performance culture.

2 July 2014

9. Learning

The successful leader is dedicated to an ongoing process of learning and self-improvement at a personal level and pushes their team and the wider organisation to do likewise.

They reflect upon their leadership practice and challenge themselves to be the very best they can be. They have an unremitting focus on driving performance to new heights and learn from both success and failure as they strive along this journey.

They create a ‘high challenge – high support’ culture which is aligned with the strategy and within which everybody understands not just what to do, but how to do it.

2 July 2014

10. Communication

The successful leader recognises the difference between openness and honesty. They will be transparent when it is appropriate to be so, but are always honest and authentic in their communications.

They tailor their approach and style to suit the audience and focus on ensuring that they connect and engage rather than simply tell. They are acutely interested in others and listen attentively and empathically so that they can understand situations form a range of perspectives.

Engagement is of paramount importance and they provide others with rich content and richer context.

2 July 2014

Experts in leadership. Experts in change.

Vmax Consulting are specialists, with world class expertise in leadership capability and organisational change.Our range of services includes:• Assessment of individuals, teams and organisations• Advice and support for senior leaders and management teams• Leadership coaching to drive performance growth• Developing individual and organisational change and leadership capability• Providing the expertise and resources to deliver and support your most critical projects

2 July 2014

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