Whether you are a born leader, or trying to become one, developing your leadership potential will open endless opportunities and help you make the best of them.
The road to leadership in today`s business world is more competitive and challenging than ever. The rapid pace of change, particularly in the IT industry, is pushing the speed of decisions, market changes, profits, corporate growth and career advancement. In fact, in the technology field, the career path from project manager to director can take just three to five years.
It is important to develop your leadership skills from the moment you start your career and continue to improve them.
Doug Leather, ITWeb columnist
While that path may be swift, it is not easy. Much is expected of those who would be leaders: strong leadership skills, industry and business experience and lasting relationships with customers, board members, colleagues and peers - both in and outside your company.
It is important to develop your leadership skills from the moment you start your career and continue to improve them. You must be driven, have high energy and motivation and be willing to work hard and smart. If you are willing to take on more responsibility, you will see faster growth in your career. Strive for the following objectives:
- Develop a reputation for building, growing and turning things around.
- Always produce results. Tackle tough projects, take risks and work long hours to produce noticeable results.
- Be a solution provider, not the complainant if there is a problem. Do not dwell on the negatives. Suggest ways to solve the problem.
- Always bring new ideas to meetings. Propose new strategies and processes to improve your department and the company. Be prepared to discuss not only the benefits and opportunities of your proposal, but also the potential dangers and consequences.
- Understand sales and marketing. Cultivate skills needed to understand the business ramifications of new product development, including the costs, details, visibility and marketability aspects.
- Manage your time. Do not waste time and do not let others waste your time either. Figure out how to produce the most results for the time available. See that every discussion results in actionable items - and deadliness for them to be completed.
Relationship building
Developing relationships - and the communication skills that make it possible - with key people in a company is critical to your success.
Always have a mentor. Observe how he or she leads and makes decisions. Ask important questions and inform your mentor of your progress. Solicit feedback and evaluations of your work.
Stick with the winners and you will learn how to be one yourself. Develop relationships with people who are driving the company and who are producing the results.
Motivate others. Help them become passionate about their individual goals and how they contribute towards the overall company success.
Stay informed. Teach the people who work for you to keep you abreast of what is happening in each department. This will give you the big picture and help you develop far-reaching and successful strategies.
Be customer-centric. By developing strong relationships with customers and listening to their goals, you can anticipate the next technological opportunity - or logjam - and help to transform it into profitable products and services.
To be a leader, you also need to be the resident expert in your industry. Ensure you understand all the operations of your business and make career choices that give you broad industry experience and overall business knowledge.
Be strategic about your career. Work for the best companies with the best management teams. Always take your next job with a bigger and better firm.
Craft strategies and articulate visions. Position yourself strategically so that you become the person others come to for answers, and always prepare action plans for the future.
Know your industry. Understand your competition and bring in new ideas from other companies. Study market trends and familiarise yourself with the projections and predictions in your industry - and understand how these projections are derived.
Understand project management. Determine the deliverables in every meeting and identify who will accomplish them.
Above all, keep your eye on the big picture. Look at what you are doing and how it helps the overall business become more profitable, and you will maintain a competitive-edge.
Doug Leather is MD of Bryan Hattingh Executive Services.
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