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8/18/2019 GetSmarter 2016 Leadership Guide
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/getsmarter-2016-leadership-guide 1/19
THE
ULTIMATE
LEADERSHIPGUIDE
3 STEPS TO BEING A BETTER LEADER
Successful leaders know that leadership isn’t something you wake up with - it’s a collection of
consistently developed abilities. This step-by-step guide provides actionable strategies to empower
your improvement of everything from your understanding of your own leadership abilities, to
developing your written, visual and spoken communication.
8/18/2019 GetSmarter 2016 Leadership Guide
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/getsmarter-2016-leadership-guide 2/19
CONTENTS:
WELCOME page 3
STEP 1: What kind of leader are you? page 4
STEP 2: The Leader’s Conduct Matrix page 8
• Watch what you say page 9
• Watch how you move page 11
• Watch how you write page 12
• How to grow page 14
STEP 3: The Leader's Weekly Checklist page 16
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Dear Leader,
Welcome to GetSmarter’s Ultimate Leadership Guide.
The purpose of this 3-step guide is to help empower you on your leadership journey, to meet your full potential to be a strong leader, irrespective of
whether or not you currently hold a leadership role.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE MAKES, OR WILL MAKE,
YOU A POWERFUL LEADER?
There’s no exact formula for eective leadership, although many of the
elements remain similar: achieving results and leading others to success.
If you’re a modern workplace leader, at management level or higher, looking
to contextualise leadership; or an aspiring leader (remember you don’t have
to have it in your title in order to lead), this guide will empower you to identify
your personal leadership traits; implement strategies to emphasise your
strengths and manage your weaknesses; and monitor your progress.
Improving as a leader starts with nurturing a core leadership competency:
self-awareness. It’s the most powerful skill a leader can develop (you’ll read
about this in Step 1) and is essential in dening who you are as a leader.
An inherent part of accurate self-awareness is paying attention to the details -
right down to what you say, every move you make, and how you write. In Step
2 of this guide, you’ll nd an in-depth and interactive “conduct matrix”, where
you’ll be given actionable tips for speaking, moving, and writing like a leader, as
well as prompts for growing your skills.
Finally, how will you know you’ve succeeded if you can’t see how far you’ve
come? Step 3 provides an interactive Leader’s Weekly Growth Checklist you canuse to reect on, and monitor, your progress as you grow into a stronger leader.
Yours in lifelong learning,
THE GETSMARTER TEAM
WELCOME
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STEP 1: WHAT KIND OFLEADER ARE YOU?
*source: Green Peak Partners, What Predicts Executive Success?
A leader is best when people
barely know he exists, when hiswork is done, his aim fullled,
they will say: we did it ourselves.- LAO TZU
In a study* by Green Peak Partners and Cornell
University on what determines executive
success, it was noted that high self-awareness
was the “strongest predictor of overall success.”Leaders who are aware of their weaknesses
are able to hire people who perform well in
categories in which the leader lacks acumen,
and “are also more able to entertain the idea
that someone on their team may have an idea
that is even better than their own.”
Self-awareness is not a style in itself, but
is the crucial factor that leads you to anunderstanding of how and why you lead.
One popular way to develop this self-
awareness is through an examination of the
leadership styles proposed by Daniel Goleman,
in his publication: Leadership That Gets Results.
In this model, Goleman proposes 6 styles of
leadership and maintains that sticking to only
one is not the answer. “The best leaders don’t know just one style of
leadership— they’re skilled at several, and have
the exibility to switch between styles as the
circumstances dictate.”
Although consistency is also key to avoiding
confusion in your team, picking and choosing
from these styles allows you to adapt specic
skills relevant to certain situations.
The model, although not an exact science,
is also useful in determining under which
leadership style you sit most comfortably, and
helps to create a well-informed picture of your
strengths and weakness - taking you one step
closer to being a self-aware leader.
LET’S FIND OUT
WHAT TYPE OFLEADER YOU ARE,
JUST FOR FUN…
Q U I Z
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GOLEMAN’S 6 STYLES OF LEADERSHIP**
COERCIVE
The “my way or the highway” style. Coercive leaders take
full charge of situations and don’t entertain contrary
opinions. They command authority through fear, and
obedience through demand.
AUTHORITATIVE
The path-maker. Authoritative leaders lead through clarity,
encouragement and a “come with me” approach. The
overall goal is clearly dened, but consideration is made of
the many possible paths to achieving it.
PERKS: Highly eective in emergency situations
PITFALLS: Generally, it can inhibit organisational exibility and dampen
employee motivation
PRACTICE: Use it in an emergency situation, a company turnaround, or
when dealing with a problem employee
PERKS: Gives people the freedom to choose their own means of
achieving goals
PITFALLS: Ineective when a leader is less knowledgeable than
team members
PRACTICE: Considered to be the best all-round style, but especially
eective if there is a need for direction, and in creating a
fresh approach to a long-term goal
AFFILIATIVE
The people’s leader. Goals come second to the
establishment of positive relationships with the people
seeking to achieve those goals. Trust and loyalty are held
in high regard, and strong bonds are formed between the
leader and followers.
PERKS: Increases morale and harmony within a team
PITFALLS: Poor performance may escape uncorrected, and lack ofadvice can leave employees feeling uncertain over what to
do in a dicult situation
PRACTICE: Use this style when there is mistrust within the team: when
everyone has their gloves up, and you need them to drop
their hands
1
2
3
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DEMOCRATIC
The consensus rules. Followers play an important role in
decision-making, resulting in the development of exibility,responsibility and the generation of fresh ideas, as well as
intense commitment to goals, strategies and tactics.
5) PACESETTING
Walk the talk. These leaders set high standards for
everyone, including themselves, and so have a positive
impact on self-motivated and highly competent
employees. A demand for excellence is standard
procedure.
PERKS: Builds responsibility amongst the team and gives everyone
a voice
PITFALLS: Eect on climate is not as high as is generally expected
due to numerous discussions tending to leave employees
feeling leaderless
PRACTICE: Use when the outcome is likely to be controversial. Creating
a feeling of “we’re in this together” shares the responsibility
between parties
PERKS: Positive impact on high-performers
PITFALLS: Other employees may experience a feeling ofbeing overwhelmed
PRACTICE: This style should be applied when team members have a
high level of technical expertise
6) COACHING
The personal developer. Talents of followers arerecognised, and a plan is put in place to develop them
through challenges and push-tactics that encourage the
cultivation of a new, improved skill set.
PERKS: Eective in managing employees who want to improve
their weaknesses
PITFALLS: Ineective in managing employees who are resistant to
change, e.g. older employees
PRACTICE: When there’s potential in your team, and you’re willing
to sacrice short-term success for the long-term benets
of learning
**source: Daniel Goleman, Leadership that Gets Results
4
5
6
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Goleman’s model is a good start,
but developing true self-awareness
requires feedback on real-life
performance. What steps can you
take, in your daily life, to become more
self-aware?
1. FIRSTLY, SELF-IDENTIFY
The rst person you need to askhonestly about your abilities is
yourself. What leadership style do
you think you identify with the most,
and what pitfalls are you guilty of
falling into?
2. BUILD IT INTO
PERFORMANCE REVIEWS
Hearing from your team, colleagues,
and superiors will give you an accurate
idea of how others perceive you as a
leader. Don’t be afraid of asking for
feedback on your leadership style - the
best leaders are open to it. Does the
feedback match your own perception?
3. ENCOURAGE FEEDBACK
IN WEEKLY CATCHUPS
In order to frequently sense-check
yourself, make it a requirement of yourteam that they provide at least one
piece of valuable feedback - positive or
negative - on your leadership
each week.
4. REVIEW YOUR PROGRESS
Keep a record of the feedback you
receive, and implement actionable
strategies to tackle problem areas.
Take a look at Step 3 for an interactive
framework to prompt you.
YOUR NEXT STEPS
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STEP 2:
THE LEADER’S
CONDUCT MATRIXGreat leaders pay attention to the details. Every word you say and each movement you
accompany them with will have an eect on your followers and the environment you create
around them. The following steps are all about prompting you to practice what you preach.
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3. OFFER YOUR OPINION...LAST
Imagine you’re in a meeting, and a workplace superior starts with, “In my opinion…” - everything else from that point on is
doomed to agree, at least partially, with the initial statement. As a leader, you’ve got the power, so don’t hold it over your
subordinates’ heads.
Instead of oering your opinion as a standalone, connect it to what others have said previously and frame it as an addition.
USE THESE BRIDGING PHRASES:
• “That makes me think of…” • “Remember what you said about…” • “I see, and what about…”
WHY THIS WORKS
Through framing your own opinions as stemming from the ideas of others, you give employees
condence in what they think and take away their fear of sharing. This allows for improved
collaboration and idea generation because, after all, two heads are better than one.
4. PROBE FOR MORE
Someone’s rst answer is seldom their best one. In order to draw insightful solutions out of your
team, ask again, and again. They’ll come up with more and more ideas, which means a greater
number of choices, and a higher likelihood of the best possible decision being made.
SAY THIS:
• “Great, and what else?” • “Should we do this, this, that or none of them?” • “Why?”
INSTEAD OF THIS:
• “Let’s do that.”
Remember the dierence between a boss and a leader:a boss says ‘Go!’ and a leader
says ‘Let’s go!’
- E.M. KELLY
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WATCH HOWYOU MOVEYou’ve probably heard the saying: “Actions speak louder than words.”
This means that, no matter what you say, your words are only as true as
how you move before, during, and after speaking.
HOW TO MOVE
1. NOD YOUR HEAD
This is best done subtly, to show you’re paying attention. It doesn’t necessarily
indicate agreement, but it gives the impression that you understand what is
being said.
2. CLASP YOUR HANDS IN FRONT OF YOU
Whether on the desk or in your lap, having your hands in front of you, and
visible to the other person, helps to avoid dgeting and appearing as if you’re
not concentrating.
3. LOOK THE PERSON IN THE EYE
Eye contact is a powerful indication of attention and understanding. Remember,
your eyes can give away how you’re feeling, so be sure to keep them calm.
4. MAINTAIN A NEUTRAL FACIAL EXPRESSION
This is best done subtly, to show you’re paying attention. It doesn’t necessarily
indicate agreement, but it gives the impression that you understand what is
being said.
HOW NOT TO MOVE
1. SHAKE YOUR HEAD
Unless you’re sympathising with something that has gone wrong, avoid
shaking your head. It gives the impression that you don’t agree, and discourages
further conversation.
2. CROSS YOUR ARMS
This is generally considered to be suggestive of defensiveness, dislike,
or disagreement. Crossing your arms makes you more intimidating and
less approachable.
3. LOOK AROUND
Casting your gaze about the room immediately gives the impression that you’re
not interested and not paying attention.
4. REACT EMOTIONALLY
Reacting immediately to what you’re told discourages people from sharing
their point of view and limits your ability, as a leader, to get a 360 degree view
of a problem.
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WATCH HOWYOU WRITEWritten communication via email, instant messaging, or an online task manager
covers a large percentage of the communication you will make during your
workday. Ensuring you know how to write in a way that relays your exactmessage is essential.
1. WHO TO INCLUDE
Including too many people in your communications will likely end up in
taking longer than necessary to reach your desired outcome. Think about who
the information you’re trying to communicate applies to, and exclude any
non-essentials.
ASK YOURSELF?
• How will each person benet from this communication?
• Does every person need this depth of information?
2. TONE
Your tone starts with your choice of words. Do they need to be formal, casual,
or a mix of both? Did you use too many descriptive adjectives, or did you get
straight to the point? Finally, put yourself in the shoes of the receiver before
pressing send.
ASK YOURSELF?
• What is the purpose of this communication?
• Is my word use appropriate?
• Did I get straight to the point?
• Have I put myself in the shoes of the receiver?
TIP:
Emoticons are popular for conveying tone, but should be reserved for casual
interactions and avoided entirely in formal communication.
3. WORD USE
The biggest mistake leaders make in written communication is using words and
expressions that are more formal or abstract than necessary. For example, why
use “due to the fact that” instead of “because”, or “at this point in time” instead
of “now”?
ASK YOURSELF?
• Can I shorten any of these words?
• Is there a clearer way to say that?
4. KEEP IT SIMPLE
Use nouns and verbs - excessive adjectives, adverbs and conjunctions not only
dilute your point but also waste time. Inboxes are notoriously full, so make sure
your mail doesn’t take up unnecessary space.
ASK YOURSELF?
• What is the main point I’m trying to communicate?
• Which words dilute that point?
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5. IS EMAIL THE BEST TOOL HERE?
There are situations where email works, but in others it’s face-to-face that counts.
Especially in the case of a sensitive issue, it’s a lot more eective to talk person-to-
person than it is to send a long, carefully constructed written message.
ASK YOURSELF?
• How would I want someone to communicate this to me?
6. WRITING UP
Your communications aren’t just going to include people on your level - you might
also be talking to higher-level colleagues. Understand that a more serious tone
and word use might be more appropriate here, depending on your company, as
they’re your superiors.
7. READ IT AGAIN
The best way to decide if your communications align with who’s receiving them
and their purpose, is to read them again with the end-user in mind. You’ll often
nd that, when you read it from someone else’s point of view, your words sound
dierent. A nal check also helps you avoid any errors.
ASK YOURSELF?
• Who is the end-user, and have I kept this in mind when writing?
• Have I checked for mistakes?
You want them to view your ideas assound and interesting, and to view
you as smart, informed, direct and
companionable.
– JOHN TRIMBLE, WRITING WITH STYLE
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HOW TO GROW1. UNCOVER THROUGH LEARNING
Stay up-to-date with leadership approaches, trends, tips and tricks to ensure your
abilities stay relevant and eective. Here’s one for you:
The modern marketing legend, Seth Godin, describes how eective post-
industrial organisations have overcome the challenge of getting the best out of
employees by dierentiating between the loose and the tight.
The “tight” applies to control of appropriate items such as promises, customer
service, or nances. The “loose” applies to principles such as the way people
approach problems, or methods of communication.
APPLY IT:
Where will you be tight today?
Where will you be loose today?
We fail if we misjudge what ought to be tight, and
we guarantee frustration when we’re unwilling to
let the humans we hire be humans.
– SETH GODIN
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2. REFLECT
There’s less value in achievement if you don’t look back at why you succeeded -
and where you didn’t. Reecting on your progress allows you to identify where
you could do better next time, both from your own perspective and that of your
team. Upon completion of a task or project, take some time to sit by yourself, and
then with your team, to have an honest and straightforward conversation.
ASK YOURSELF:
“What worked for me?”
“What didn’t work?”
“What would I have done diferently?”
“How will I apply this to my next task/project?”
ASK YOUR TEAM:
• “What worked for you?”
• “What didn’t work?”
• “What would you have done diferently?”
• "How will you apply this to your next task/project?”
• “What can I, as a leader, do to help?”
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STEP 3: THE LEADER’S
WEEKLY CHECKLISTWhat gets measured, gets done. The ability to reect on each week’s conduct and learnings is
the anchor behind a heightened sense of self-awareness, and, ultimately, stronger leadership.
Here are 16 actions to record and learn from on a weekly basis, in order to solidify and
grow your leadership.
It is absurd that a man should rule others, who
cannot rule himself.
- LATIN PROVERB
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THIS WEEK I GREW MY LEADERSHIP IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:
1 I actively listened, even though I had the urge to speak when:
2 I empowered someone to take on something I would usually do by:
3 I shared inspiration through:
4 I gave honest and constructive feedback to:
5 I asked for feedback from:
6 I expressed condence and support for:
7 I acted decisively when:
8 I set vision and gave direction to my team by:
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9 I recognised for their contribution to:
10 I had a dicult conversation with:
11 I clearly articulated my view and challenged a superior on:
12 I led by example when:
13 I celebrated a team win by:
14 I managed my own energy by:
15 I reminded my team about the higher purpose of their work through:
16 I enhanced my leadership competence through learning about:
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GetSmarter aims to improve lives through better education by helping working
professionals advance their careers. We oer a portfolio of short courses,
postgraduate degree programmes, and professional accounting programmes,
presented in partnership with top universities.
What would you like to learn today?
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