In a recent leadership podcast, Jennifer Garvey Berger discussed the impact of highly-effective leaders. Jennifer’s work with leadership brings her to the conclusion that great leaders have a significant indirect impact on others when they’re present. That impact, while challenging to pinpoint in the moment, can be narrowed down to tangible ideas. Here are five ways that highly-effective leaders impact others:
- Build Confidence: Highly-effective leaders strategically build confidence in those that they lead. Great leaders take specific actions to build people up, but they also create a positive culture that builds everyone’s confidence in the work they do each day. Confidence building is a by-product of their strategic actions and the culture they build. How strategically do you build confidence in others?
- Encourage Risks: Highly-effective leaders encourage others to take risks in their work. Not only do they strategically encourage others, but their own risk taking allows others to feel comfortable taking risks as well. The risks people take might fail, but great leaders know that and help others overcome those challenges to help the organization. How well do you encourage risk taking in your organization?
- Promote Truths: Highly-effective leaders create an environment where others can speak their truths. Organizations that achieve lasting results have a culture where radical honesty and transparency are part of everyday actions. Great leaders allow people to share their truths, they’re open to listening, and they take those ideas seriously. How strategically do you promote speaking truths in the organization?
- Spark Passion: Highly-effective leaders spark significant passion for the larger vision. Because the leader feels strongly about the vision and communicates it clearly, others also feel impassioned and empowered to chase that vision as well. The passion people feel helps support the strategies and actions needed to reach the vision. How well do you spark passion in the people you lead?
- Enhance Effort: Highly-effective leaders enhance the effort of everyone involved. Because leaders give relentless effort themselves, it encourages others to also work at the highest standard possible. Relentless work-ethic is clear characteristics of great leaders, and their effort fuels others as a by-product. How well do you encourage others to give great effort?
Highly-effective leaders impact organizations and people in ways both strategically and indirectly. Because of their visionary passion for results, they impassion and empower others to take bold actions as well. The work great leaders do each day is visible at times, but they also indirectly impact people through their presence.
What are the indirect impacts of highly-effective leaders?