By Dr. Gina Tucker, Founder & CEO of EduCoach
This is Part 2 of the “Qualities of a Leader” series, where I continue unpacking the traits that define impactful and authentic leaders.
Firstly, real leaders carefully choose their opportunities to lead because of the ‘job that needs doing’. They care less about the position and are more interested in the work the position affords them–i.e., doing what’s necessary to achieve the organization’s goals by serving as a leader of leaders. This disposition to the work and the commitment to ‘getting the job done’ is immediately apparent.
So committed, real leaders not only demand but rely on intelligent data–i.e., data that keeps them honest; data that measures their impact; data that helps guide their decisions moving forward. So aware of the importance of the data, real leaders communicate progress (or lack thereof) to their teams in a timely and transparent manner; continuously using this “intelligent” data to keep everyone on the team honest.
To positively impact the data, real leaders quickly (and continuously) assess the current state, note the problems, challenges or obstacles and take urgent action to fix or address them. They listen to, respect and trust their people and do whatever it takes to ensure the resources, support and environment necessary for the team to do ‘the right work’ well.
For real leaders, every conversation, every moment/interaction is seen as an opportunity to take another step toward achieving those goals. There is no mistaking the agenda of a ‘real’ leader because ‘real’ leaders are on a mission; they don’t waste time nor get distracted by trivia and most importantly, they ensure everyone is clear about their individual why and the part they play. While not always liked, real leaders are usually respected because of this characteristic.
Undergirding all of the above is an unwavering spirit of urgency. Real leaderslive daily with the urgency of now. Everyday they do what real leaders do. They lead! Boldly and courageously!!! They are not wishy-washy; they have no “favorites”; they set time-sensitive goals, clearly articulate them and aggressively move toward them –updating everyone transparently and continuously. Real leaders come to work everyday with strategic forward movement as their priority.
Lastly, a ‘real’ leader is always thinking–even worried–about the future of the organization. How will the accomplishments be sustained and built upon? I always say, if you are in a leadership role and you are not thinking about and/or planning for succession, you are not leading. I cannot underscore this enough: Leadership Matters!!! Hard to accept or believe but one person—the leader—can be the single variable that determines the organization’s continued and sustained success or its failure. Ensuring and choosing a successor wisely is probably the most important thing a leader will do.
As you can probably discern from these few characteristics, being led by a real leader is special and rare. Fifteen years later I still have staff who say they have not experienced ‘real’ leadership since. It is actually taken for granted as many don’t know they have it until they don’t. SMILE!
For those blessed to experience it, ‘real’ leadership feels, sounds and looks different–it’s authentic, vulnerable, kind of missionary-like because for real leaders, the focus on achieving the organization’s outcomes/goals is laser-like and remains undeterred. And, most importantly, real leaders do what is necessary to ensure every member of the team can contribute to achieving the goal. But, it would be remiss of me to not note that some did not meet the very high standard set. However, the critical mass of my staff worked incredibly hard–with relentless enthusiasm and, as we like to say: ‘stick-to-the wicket’ commitment which brought about exponential growth in the students’ standardized test scores. When I look back I was so proud of them as they were courageous and stood up for–protected and defended–our shared vision/mission. This is described as followership–a necessary requirement for and when leading. And, when all was said and done, their professional growth was exponential. I feel honored to know that many are in leadership roles today and that they credit their time with me as their leader for their current success.
So how is it that a leader can or is allowed to remain long past their expiration date?
This situation saddens and baffles people like me–especially when they have demonstrated for an extended period that they possess none–not one–of the qualities described above. It reminds us that ‘real’ leaders are scarce; they are far and inbetween. As a student of leadership, I will always admire the leader who is “leader-enough”. Do any come to mind for you?
In closing, I once heard someone say that the current so-called leader will be responsible for the “business as usual” work (i.e., in a clearly dysfunctional organization). Very interesting because, for me, when the work becomes “business as usual”, my job is done and my expiration date as leader has arrived. It would appear that the ‘so-called’ leader is being asked to serve as a manager and NOT a leader! Yes, there is a difference and indeed managers are important and necessary. But, when an ‘appointed’ leader is allowed and permitted to simply manage (in an effort to ‘save face’), organizations and the people in them suffer terribly–sometimes to the brink of no return. I know this first-hand. The effort it took to bring my school back from the brink was nothing short of herculean. As a turn-around principal it took years of precision transformative real-leader work.
Regardless of your current industry or field, effectively leading any organization is not for a typical leader. It requires a real leader. EduCoach is for you. While we began as a resource for educators, we have grown into an online leadership growth platform with over 50 diverse, experienced coaches—supporting professionals across all sectors, from entry- level managers to C-suite executives to parents.
If you’re in a leadership role and want to take your organization from good to great or if you simply aspire to be a ‘real’ leader, know this: you don’t have to do it alone.
Remember, EVERY G.O.A.T. has a coach. EduCoach is here to help you sharpen your skills, expand your impact, and lead with purpose. . Join the EduCoach Masterclass and begin your leadership transformation today. The world needs more real leaders–book your Discovery Call now at www.educoach.info or call 1-441-533-3382