First Level Leadership

The Right Attitude

Introspection of your Attitude

Here are four questions for you to consider

1. Do you spend more than 50% of your time on leading your team rather than on technical or functional issues? 

2. Do you set aside a planned time for talking with your people – for whom you are responsible? 

3. Can you recall when was the last time you embarked on a self-development program or nominated your staff for a similar program? 

4. You are clear with the management techniques such as performance management, appraisal, delegation, objective setting and apply them when appropriate? 

If you answered “NO” 

to most of these questions,your preferred leadership style will be clearly visible. The good news is that you will find all the right information here, but the bad news is that you cannot afford to be complacent.

What do you do to build the right leadership attitude? 

You need to ask yourself some more serious and direct questions. Attitude is a vague term and used very casually these days. In the current context, let me dilate the meaning of attitude to would be leaders. The right mind set is not just restricted to effective leadership, but to any field of activity. 

Hold a mirror in your hand and check if it shows:

You have the awareness at a conscious level that you are not in the role of mule management.

You are willing to avoid shooting from the hip. 

You can have a pro-change mentality, if progress is possible. 

You are open and eager to learn from subordinates. 

You understand the development needs of the subordinates.  

You encourage and create opportunities for people to gain knowledge and skills. 

You prefer working in a systematic manner. 

You understand the difference between important and urgent. Therefore, working day to day on an expediency basis is not your preferred style.  

You possess a sound knowledge to set clear objectives, and have the ability to devise plans to meet them. 

You readily give up technical work in favor of managing resources and leading people.

You accept that “learning and using management techniques” will be a more successful approach than an instinctive approach.

Please look in the same mirror again  

and see which areas are not visible…and why? If you think this sounds too theoretical, then why don’t you go back to the four questions that I have asked you at the beginning of the article? Trust me, you will find the answers. 

Remember: 

The man in the mirror never lies! When you help people find their respect and pride, they become genuinely inclined towards supporting you in return. Soon you will realize that they will shake their heads in agreement to the most stretching objectives and would be too ready to give you their uninterrupted support.

After all, leadership does not always come by title – Its a lot about behavior, which comes from your --------(Fill in the blank)


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