Defining a manager is fairly straightforward: a manager manages a group of tasks or people, and often both. But who is leader?
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader” ~ John Quincy Adams
Leadership has nothing to do with a position, title, seniority, authority or pay grade. It’s all about having a clear sense of purpose and being a positive influence. We all have opportunities to exert positive influence over situations and to change things for the better in ways large and small. Simply stated, leadership is a mindset of wanting to make a difference. In people’s terms it’s about wanting to help others become better and grow, seeing talent and ability in others and bringing it out of them, and encouraging others to excel at what they are doing. You are a leader when you are excited to be a part of another person’s journey.
SMART leaders are those who have realized that leadership is about people, not the bottom line. They have mastered the art of building positive interpersonal relationships at work. They care about people, they prioritize people, and they know how to motivate people. At times they keep ahead of the team leading from the front, at other times, they direct from behind letting the strongest team members push ahead, but they always lead from within, from the heart and in the middle. They bring people together, handle relationships with tact and diplomacy, and hold things together.
Five things SMART leaders do: They
SERVE
In the past decade, the term “servant leader” has come into common use signifying the paradigm shift from authoritarian leadership to a participative leadership. Servant leaders actively solicit participation and input, and they go above and beyond to help and support others. SMART leaders always remember that they are serving those they lead, not the other way around. They encourage others to build a culture in which people set aside self-serving behaviors in favor of serving a common agenda.
To serve others is to always be asking “What can I do for you?”
MOTIVATE
Motivational leadership inspires others to perform at their best by giving them a compelling vision and a sense of purpose. The key is to motivate individuals, to get to know each person and find out what makes them tick. People are more engaged and committed to consistent action when they understand why their work is important and how it fits within the bigger picture.
To motivate others is to always be asking “How can I make your work more meaningful?”
AFFIRM
It is human nature to want recognition, praise, and appreciation. And when people feel that their efforts are appreciated and valued, they are likely to go the extra mile. Affirmation needs to be personal and specific. SMART leaders are good observers noticing everything that’s happening around them and recognizing the little things that make things run smoothly. They acknowledge and recognize those who positively contribute to the team and thus set the standard of which all others should aspire to become.
To affirm others is to always be asking “How can I make you feel like a valuable contributor?”
RESPECT all people
Every person has value. All employees deserve to be treated with dignity and civility at their place of work. Team work is grounded in respect. In a respectful environment people are more likely to work harder to accomplish shared goals they believe in. With years of experience conducting employee engagement surveys, I can confidently say that respectful treatment of all employees is one of the most important factors employees list as contributing to job satisfaction. To show respect means to value a person’s perspective, ideas, feelings, time, and privacy.
To respect others is to ask for their input and listen to what they have to say.
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
At the end of the day, leadership is measured by results. Leadership is about taking responsibility for the quality and timeliness of outcomes. SMART leaders take initiative, yet make decisions carefully and responsibly. They create a work environment in which accountability is a standard operating procedure by setting meaningful goals and measurable metrics. But they also know that leadership isn’t about blame. They are quick to pass the credit and recognize the team’s efforts when things go right, and they step up and claim responsibility when things go wrong. They then lead and direct the focus and efforts to moving forward and fixing the problems.
To take responsibility is to always be asking “How can I make things better?”
SMART leaders aspire to make a difference in other people’s lives by using all the resources available to them in every possible way to help them shine their brightest in achieving great things. Step up and take the reigns as a leader at work and in life and become the kind of leader that people would want to follow.
