TRUE leadership is not about control, it is about empowerment.
Our corporate culture often mistakes authority for dominance.
The best leaders understand that real and impactful influence is not measured by how much power they hold, but by how much they share their knowledge and skills.
The illusion of control:Bad leaders tightly cling to power, believing that keeping decision making centralized and knowledge exclusive strengthens their position.
- The essence of great leadership
Delegate authority
As a manager you need time to concentrate on the core functions of leadership as such it is prudent to delegate operational tasks to junior level management.
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Although there are some managers who prefer to centralise authority, that poses a number of disadvantages to the organisation.
However, an organisation which decentralises authority to subordinates is bound to reap a number of benefits and some of them are explained below:
Employees feel more valued and capable when they are given authority to make decisions at their respective business units.
It also motivates them, consequently boosting productivity.
The organisation is bound to benefit from quality decisions since there will be wide consultation before a decision is implemented.
Giving employees’ autonomy and breaking from the autonomy of the mundane way of performing tasks motivates workers to come up with new ideas that could be used in innovation.
Delegating authority plays a key role in helping employees to acquire new skills and knowledge of performing tasks efficiently.
Teammembers are groomed for promotion or an employee best suited to carry out a particular task which needs someone with specialised skills is identified.
Distribute responsibility, and create space for others to lead
This is when management follows the laid-down rules and regulations to transfer tasks and duties to teammembers alongside as well as give them authority to carry out the tasks on behalf of a superior.
It involves identifying a person with requisite skills and assigning an authority.
This approach comes handy in building team-work and trust.
It allows other capable team members to lead.
Work will be distributed equally and it allows teams to achieve more, preventing burnout to the person delegating.
Coach and mentor
This is a cost-effective method of upskilling workers.
An expert could be invited to the company for on the job upskilling or a number of workers could be recommended for upskilling at a particular company or learning institution.
For example, this could be done when the organisation is implanting a change programme or when it wants to venture into a new market.
Coaching focuses on improving performance and achieving specific set targets through empowering individuals to find their solutions and become innovative and productive.
Mentorship is relationship driven.
In mentorship, a subordinate is assigned to function under the guidance of a supervisor who shares knowledge, skills and experiences on how to efficiently and effectively perform a task.
Coaching and mentorship collaboratively aid in building relationships and reskilling of staff members.
The advisor or mentor helps in building the career of the understudy and equips them with skills on how to navigate the challenges encountered along the way.
Shared power
Employees feel ownership over their work.
They also feel trusted to make business decisions.
Shared power leads to a shared vision, which leads to shared success.
This approach helps in employee engagement and development.
Sharing information, authority and responsibility empowers team members and builds their trust.
It also helps management to build a network of support and workforce that is aligned to the vision of the organisation and committed to its success.
Sharing power encourages a cu ture of continuous learning and development.
Lasting legacy: buildsomething that will last long after the leader is gone.
Equip others to carry the mission forward. Lead by example.
As a leader your actions should reflect values of honesty, handwork, trust and integrity and they should be the founding values upon which the business is built on.
When the owner of the business passes on, the surviving family members will perpetuate the legacy because they are familiar with the functions of the system, vision and mission.
Leaders who empower others, leave leaders behind to carry the leadership torch.