Being a Well-Liked Leader

I was recently asked by CEO Blog Nation to give my thoughts on what qualities make for a great leader. Let me hear from you. Add a comment below and tell me what qualities are important to you.


Since the mission of a leader is to create willing followers, it is necessary to look at the impact of the leader’s behavior, not at the behavior itself, to determine effectiveness. Most people can relate to managers they have known who thought s/he was positive and well-liked when they were not. It is possible that a leader may be observed telling employees that they are doing a good job, congratulating them on accomplishments, etc. and think that s/he is doing things that an effective leader does. However, if the employees think the leader is a jerk, is two-faced and someone who claims credit that really belongs to others, then it is unlikely that employees will respond to his/her requests with maximum effort. If effective leadership is about willing followers, all of the following questions should be answered “Yes.”

1. When a request is made for volunteers, do more followers volunteer than are needed?

2. Are jobs/projects completed ahead of schedule?

3. When a mistake is made, do followers admit it before it is generally known?

4. Do followers anticipate needs of the leader and initiate action before being asked?

5. Do followers offer multiple suggestions about how to improve results?

6. Are followers focused on getting the job done?

7. Are followers obsessed with getting details correct?

8. Do followers congratulate leaders as well as other team members for organizational accomplishments?

If you get a “No” or “I don’t know” answer to any of the eight questions, follow the advice below. It is difficult to imagine an effective leader who is not well-liked by the followers. Although it is possible for a leader to be well-liked and not be effective; it is impossible for a leader to be most effective and not be well-liked. Don’t try to be well-liked. If you do, you will surely fail. However, if you find that the most satisfaction you get from your job is helping others be successful, you will not only be well-liked but also be an efficient and effective leader.


To read the original post in its entirety see Business Owners Give Their Take Which Qualities Make a Leader Great? Part 2

 

Posted by Aubrey Daniels, Ph.D.

Aubrey is a thought leader and expert on management, leadership, safety and workplace issues. For the past 40 years, he has been dedicated to helping people and organizations apply the laws of human behavior to optimize performance.