Leadership That Inspires
“The quality of leadership, more than any other single factor, determines the success or failure of an organization.”
– Fred Fiedler & Martin Chemers, Improving Leadership Effectiveness
“People ask the difference between a leader and a boss . . . . The leader works in the open, and the boss in covert. The leader leads, and the boss drives.”
– Theodore Roosevelt
When your practice grows enough to sustain one or more employees, you must exercise good leadership skills in order to direct your staff with inspiration and focus. When a team feels that it’s lead by someone with powerful vision who values their participation and inspires them to do great things, the business will thrive and the employees will contribute greatly to its success. But as an accountant or bookkeeper, the leadership role may feel a bit oversized or awkward. Don’t let that stop you from running a winning business. You can develop into a strong leader as long as you are willing to focus on a few things. Here are 4 traits of influential and inspiring leaders. Try a few on for size.
1. Vision
Theodore M. Hesburgh, retired president of the University of Notre Dame, once said, “The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.” Leaders envision what can, but hasn’t yet, been achieved. They have a clear picture of where they want their business to go and how it can get there. Unwilling to settle for the status quo, leaders are striving for improvement, progress, and continued and amplified success. But more than that, good leaders can share this vision with their staff and communicate it in a way that makes it clear, reasonable, and most importantly, inspirational.
But how do you do that? First you must have a vision. What do you want your business to become? Be willing to release limitations and think big. Imagine that success in your mind. What does it look and feel like? Then create a strategy. What will it take to accomplish that vision? Design a 5-year, 10-year, or 15-year game plan and take the actions necessary to achieve it. And most importantly, develop a dialog about that vision and plan; share it with employees. Practice talking about your vision in a way that is dynamic and exciting.
2. Passion
I once taught part-time at a university. I didn’t have as much experience or expertise as my colleagues, but my students seemed to enjoy my classes. On teacher evaluations the reason became clear. The most popular response I received was, “The teacher is passionate about the subject.”
Passion is contagious. One way you can ignite your vision is with passion. If you’re truly excited about something, that excitement will spread throughout your office, touching everyone who works for and with you. If you don’t currently have something that impassions you about your business, find something quick. That passion will drive you, and your team, toward your vision.
3. Team Leader
Theodore Roosevelt once said, “The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” Remember that you’re trying to lead employees in the direction you would have them go, not push them. We trust that you’ve already hired competent individuals who you trust to do the work you assign. You should do the best you can to motivate and inspire your employees with clear direction, and then let them do their work. Also remember that some of the best ideas will come from your own employees. Be open to their feedback and willing to learn from what they share.
4. Character
Employees are more likely to follow leaders they respect. And employees respect leaders with good character. In all that you do see that you’re honest, hard-working, reliable, equitable, and trustworthy.
While you may not feel like a leader right now, you can become one that employees would be proud to follow. Evaluate your current leadership style and see how you might implement two or more of the above traits. And give yourself the time to learn and improve. You may be surprised at the natural leadership instinct within you.
