| Am I the most effective leader I can be? Is | | | | about doing it without him being physically |
| my organization well led? Do I always have | | | | present. This is a truly effective |
| to be present for my organization to get the | | | | leader.Clearly understood standards and |
| job done? These are questions that every | | | | expectations are key. Without them, an |
| leader should be asking himself. The truly | | | | organization will only do what it is told to |
| honest answers may not always be pleasant.For | | | | do on a recurring basis. With no one |
| smaller to medium sized organizations | | | | physically there to tell them what to do, it |
| departments that are part of a larger | | | | will flounder. An effective leader sets |
| enterprise, my three key indicators of | | | | clear standards and expectations allowing a |
| effective leadership will enable a leader to | | | | well-trained organization to function |
| determine if he is being effective. For the | | | | effectively during his occasional |
| senior leaders of large enterprises, such as | | | | absence.I've frequently heard workers say "We |
| Fortune 500 companies, more indicators, such | | | | work better without the boss; he only gets in |
| as increasing shareholder wealth, would be | | | | the way." However, the truth is the vast |
| needed to assess effective leadership. | | | | majority of workers want their leader to |
| However, large enterprises should use these | | | | succeed and be effective. Part of that |
| three indicators to measure the effectiveness | | | | success is your organization being able to |
| of their junior to middle level leadership. | | | | survive your occasional absence without a |
| All three must be present to indicate truly | | | | drop-off in effectiveness. A department with |
| effective leadership.The first indicator is | | | | organizational discipline succeeds despite |
| Proficiency which I define as the "the | | | | the occasional absence of its leader. |
| organization knows the job thoroughly and | | | | Additionally, your boss should notice the |
| does it well." Proficiency is a result of | | | | well-trained, disciplined team that you have |
| both individual and group training. All | | | | developed when you are away.My third |
| organizations know that individuals must be | | | | indicator of effective leadership is High |
| trained, but individual training should be | | | | Morale, defined as "Employees exhibit a |
| tailored to improving the organization's | | | | positive state of mind; they are proud to be |
| effectiveness. An individual's training must | | | | part of the organization."High morale |
| contribute positively to the | | | | indicates that proficiency and organizational |
| organization.Additionally, in my book, Small | | | | discipline are well received, indeed, |
| Unit Leadership, I advocate group training | | | | expected by the people in the organization. |
| whenever possible, even as a conference room | | | | Organizations can have proficiency and |
| exercise if necessary. Athletic teams and | | | | organizational discipline without high |
| military units use individual training to get | | | | morale, but the proficiency and |
| to a common language/understanding and they | | | | organizational discipline will come from fear |
| then train as a team for maximum | | | | or another negative leadership trait. |
| effectiveness. Why can't other | | | | Experience tells me that negative leadership |
| organizations? It might require some | | | | works for only short periods of |
| creativity, but that's not a bad thing.Also, | | | | time.Conversely, for a time, there can be |
| a leader must never assume proficiency. | | | | high morale in an organization without |
| Train as necessary, but always inspect for | | | | proficiency and organizational discipline. |
| proficiency. Many potentially great leaders | | | | However, a lack of proficiency and |
| never moved forward in their careers because | | | | organizational discipline will eventually |
| they failed to exercise one of my principles, | | | | lead to chaos, never allowing the |
| "Inspect what you expect." This includes | | | | organization to reach its goals and |
| inspecting for proficiency.My second | | | | objectives.High morale by itself will not |
| indicator of effective leadership is | | | | allow an organization to attain its goals. |
| Organizational Discipline, which I define as | | | | However, it will confirm that, if the |
| "In the absence of the leader or key | | | | organization is meeting its standards and |
| personnel, the organization executes well and | | | | expectations, then the leader is using |
| initiates appropriate action." Many leaders | | | | positive, forceful leadership.Drawing on his |
| believe that to be effective, they must be | | | | experiences in the U. S. Marines, in the |
| present nearly all the time. They believe | | | | corporate world, as a coach, and as a small |
| that when they take vacation that their | | | | business owner, Greg Ballard has published |
| organization will struggle without them. | | | | his book Small Unit Leadership, a concise, |
| However, when a truly effective leader takes | | | | yet definitive guide for new, junior, and |
| vacation, his organization can run for a | | | | middle level leaders. His accumulated |
| period of time without his physical presence. | | | | knowledge and insights greatly benefit not |
| This is because he has set clear standards | | | | only individuals in positions of |
| and expectations and has ingrained a sense of | | | | responsibility, but also those companies or |
| responsibility in his people. His people | | | | organizations that have multiple levels of |
| understand what has to be done and they go | | | | leadership. |