Be a leader not a seagul

You do not want to be part of the seagull system. Leadership skills training courses describe the seagull system as the leader that flies in leaves a mess everywhere and flies out again leaving their mess to be cleaned up. Leadership needs an awareness of the various diverse job roles that you need to take on as a leader.

Your staff can be working in a strange and disconnecting environment. Your people need to know that you can relate to them, that you are behind them, that you are providing them with learning opportunities and developments. They need to know that you are focused, encouraging, guiding and motivating to each member of your team.

Getting all your staff to pull in the same direction can be like herding cats. The result can end up being perspiring rather than inspiring. What leaders and managers use to overcome this is connecting points, so that your people know what their job is, why they are doing it and how to overcome the obstacles.

The first connection point that you need to consider is to create and hold focus. This tool often used by top managers and leaders is about taking reality checks, developing your people to value themselves and your company, to manage yourself so that you are an example, to develop your vision and values and to collaborate with your staff on the visions and values that they will follow. As the saying goes a house divided against itself cannot stand its self.

The second connection point managers and leaders use is to keep it meaningful. You need to give an innovation that is valued for people’s minds to stay engaged. When you ask your staff questions you arise them from their job allowing them a break and letting them see that you are interested in their work and do care about what they have to say. Trainers in leadership skills training courses will always say to keep in mind that it is not the strongest person that survives but it is the one that is most adaptable to change.

The third area that leaders need to bear in mind so that they will not join the seagull system is to ensure there is continuous training. In this current climate jobs are scarce but if you offered your staff constant training they should be able to survive and thrive as they have developed an increasingly valuable skill net. Training empowers your staff to develop their ideas and abilities. Consider cross training as this will allow your staff to gain a better understanding of how other people work and it will enable them to see where they fit into the equation.

The fourth and final connection point is your self management. Do not worry changes do not happen over night if there are some positive changes keep implementing them. Do not have unrealistic expectations. Provide leadership by example and as you have heard the old saying probably a million times ‘actions speak louder than words’ therefore look at your staff, talk to your staff, smile at your staff and thank your staff.

Through practicing good management and leadership skills you can develop the skills and strategies for exceptional leadership as it is not what you know it is what you do with what you know that really counts.