http://news.investors.com/management-leaders-in-success/112712-634769-lead-people-right-and-get-results.htm
The expression "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink it" illustrates a key point: Effective leadership is proportional to inspiring willing and engaged followers. "As a leader, you'll never accomplish anything big if you try to do it alone. Your role is to unleash the power of people working together," David Novak, CEO of Yum Brands (YUM) and author of "Taking People With You," told IBD." Tips on doing just that:
• Share the outlook. Do your people know what success looks like for your business? So asks Erika Andersen, author of "Leading So People Will Follow."
Tell your people about your vision of success, she said: "What will your business or group look, feel and act like two years from now, or three? What will you be focused on and accomplishing? People want leaders who can articulate and guide them toward a compelling and inclusive future."
• Be resolute. No leader "ever accomplishes much by starting out with the 'maybe' attitude," Novak said. "Successful leaders recognize the first responsibility is to define reality and create a shared vision."
• Provide tools. Novak, whose firm oversees Pizza Hut and KFC, says leaders must back their plan by putting the right resources in place.
"This says to your team you really care about getting it done vs. giving it lip service," he said.
• Be courageous. Ineffective leaders often evade or blame others rather than taking responsibility. "When you make a mistake, do you apologize?," Andersen said. "The next time you stumble, say you're sorry and what you'll do differently going forward." This creates loyalty and followers.
• Demonstrate generosity. Do it with more than money.
Try giving others credit for a job well done, Andersen said: "Reflect on how you handle those things, and think about specific ways you can share that wealth."
• Show trust. "Don't make promises you can't keep," Andersen said. "Don't talk about one employee to others. Don't shade the truth. Remember that when you're the leader, people are watching everything you do to see if it lines up with what you say."
• Listen and act. Novak said hearing those you lead is "the most powerful way to motivate your people." Take what they tell you seriously, or they will lack commitment.
• Know your people. By getting inside the heads of those you lead, "you'll have the best chance of motivating them to help you achieve big things," Novak said. "I always ask: 'What perceptions, habits and beliefs do I need to change, build or reinforce to take people with me?'"
• Define your culture. People want to work in organizations that inspire them, Novak says. How a leader conducts himself greatly influences that.
He asked: "What sort of values are you projecting? What kind of atmosphere are you creating? Does it motivate your team to come to work every day feeling supported and appreciated?"
Novak said there's a "tangible difference in results between people working toward a goal because they're being paid to do it vs. working toward a goal because it is a rewarding experience."
• Be complete. Human beings are wired from ancient times to look for certain qualities in leaders, Andersen said: "On an almost instinctive level, we still take that decision very seriously. We need to see those time-tested qualities in a leader before we'll fully sign up."
Doing that gives people the best chance of becoming the best leader they're capable of being, she said, "the kind of leader people look to and say, 'I'm with you — let's go.'"
