Introduction to Supervision and Leadership
Do you consider the role of the team leader to be a challenging one?
This leadership training course builds your skills and confidence. Learn the skills so many managers have never been taught and had to learn the hard way. You will learn to set goals for the team and to motivate and develop team members to continuously improve performance and handle difficult situations decisively.
What will delegates get out of the course?
- Clear understanding of a team leader’s position and responsibilities
- Techniques to get the best out of your team
- Ability to manage difficult people and challenging situations
- Effective personal time management
- Confident delegation skills
- A feeling of confidence in your new role
Do you see the challenges of leadership as more of a chore rather than something which you can benefit from and enjoy? Do the “ why’s” and “how’s” of effective team management baffle you?
Are your staff members satisfied with your leadership ability? Do you have a good working relationship with the members of your team? Do you have a common goal and are they eager to participate in your projects?
This course builds your skills and confidence. Learn the skills so many managers have never been taught and had to learn the hard way. You will learn to set goals for the team and to motivate and develop team members to continuously improve performance and handle difficult situations decisively.
Whether you are leading an organization now, or plan to do so in the future, make sure that you review these leadership and supervision skills training principles.
Leadership is one of the most researched and chronicled topics. Go into any bookstore and you will find shelves of books on the topic leadership training. Numerous articles have been written about leadership skills by experts in a variety of respected publications like the Harvard Business Review. Yet, the definition of good leadership remains elusive. Being an effective and respected supervisor requires leadership and proper supervision training in the form of supervision skills. Noted leadership expert Warren Bennis and his colleague Burt Nanus report that they have found over 300 definitions of leadership! With so many definitions, it is likely that General Norman Schwarzkopf described it best when he said, "Leadership is hard to define, but I know it when I see it." Building on General Schwarzkopf's definition, here are five hallmarks to look for when attempting to define good leadership:
A good leader communicates a compelling vision of the future.
One of the primary tasks of a leader is to offer their followers a compelling vision of the future. A compelling vision is one that is inspirational and offers hope so that people will be emotionally engaged to join the leader on the journey. A good leader can communicate the vision in a clear and concise manner so that everyone will understand where they are going.
A good leader has the ability to rally followers.
Even with a compelling vision, followers need to be motivated. Leaders must to be able to rally their followers to their cause by transferring their energy and enthusiasm to their followers. Without willing followers, it is impossible to be a good leader.
A good leader builds a loyal team of key subordinates.
Although certain decisions are within the domain of the leader, leadership is a team sport. Good leaders will likely have a loyal team of key subordinate to help them execute the vision and manage their larger organization.
A good leader sets the example.
Good leaders set the example for their followers. They live by their values, or "They walk the talk." Good leaders understand that they are under the scrutiny of others and that they must set the example.
A good leader achieves results.
In the end, leaders are measured by the results that they can achieve. A vision without action and results is just a dream. If leaders cannot succeed in making their vision come alive, then their followers will become disenchanted, and the leader will be out of a job.
Although leaders will exhibits different styles and personal attributes, they must be able to exhibit these basic hallmarks of good leadership. So, next time someone asks about good leadership, look for these.
Great leaders achieve success by paying attention to basic principles, as is the case with professional sportsmen, the basics are the foundation upon which their greatness is achieved. Flawless executions of fundamental principles are essential to sustain any success. Further more it is vital that leaders who have already made their mark should step back and re-evaluate what got them there in the first place
Here are five tips for achieving and sustaining success as a leader based on fundamental principles:
- Know yourself first; define your values and philosophy: The first imperative for a leader is to "know yourself." Understand your own strengths and weaknesses. What values are most important to you? What is your leadership philosophy? Only by understanding yourself first, can you lead anyone else.
- Find the right people - build your team: By definition, leaders need followers. Most experienced leaders have a "core team" of dedicated followers who they have worked with for an extended time. They trust one another implicitly, and they understand each other's strengths and weaknesses. The leader understands how to organise them to support one another and leverage their individual skills. This becomes the core team around which a larger organization can grow and prosper.
- Set the example: Leaders understand that people will look to them as a role model. Good leaders set the example so that their actions are consistent with their values. If a leader acts in ways that are inconsistent with their values, then this will erode trust, and without trust, leaders cannot achieve greatness.
- Communicate your vision: Great leaders are great communicators. They use their communications skills to paint the picture of their vision and rally their followers to their cause. The ability of leaders to communicate in an open and candid way is a critical element of a healthy and successful working environment.
- Have a bias for action: Leaders make things happen. They decide what needs to be done, and they take action to move their organisation forward. In fact, they have the courage to act when others may not be able to do so.
Whether you are leading an organization now, or plan to do so in the future, make sure that you review these fundamental leadership principles. If you look at any great leader, they are using these principles.
