DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP SKILLS THROUGH THE PM CYCLE.
3 key facts before we start
- I strongly believe that as a first time leader or middle manager one of the easiest ways you can develop strong leadership skills is to master some key management skills. Both management and leadership skills are essential for a manager/leader to drive business success, the skills are interconnected and cannot be separated and finally you just can’t afford to ignore one or the other.
- Most of the stuff I will share with you is part of your role but is nowhere to be found in your job description and you will probably think you don’t have the time for that. Great leaders, great managers do these things.
- Practice makes perfect. Application and practice is the key. It’s ok to grasp a concept but there is nothing like applying it and working on it. Neuroscience and positive psychology have shown us how we can be better leaders by adopting a growth mindset, by adopting new habits and ways of doing things. This involves a lot of extra work, thinking, planning and actually doing.
How does performance management help with becoming a great leader?
Performance management is about empowering employees to be and give their very best, keeping team members focused, having honest two-way conversation etc.
Performance management is a dynamic integrated informal/formal inside-in process where employees take ownership of their contribution.
Performance management, both the what and the how, is a continuous process throughout the year that gives you many opportunities to practice and apply key management skills while demonstrating outstanding leadership skills.
Performance management is about empowering employees to be and give their very best, keeping team members focused, having honest two-way conversation etc.
Performance management is a dynamic integrated informal/formal inside-in process where employees take ownership of their contribution.
Performance management, both the what and the how, is a continuous process throughout the year that gives you many opportunities to practice and apply key management skills while demonstrating outstanding leadership skills.
- The WHAT: The framework, concretely what needs to be done and when, usually the formal steps of the process (setting up objectives, mid-year/end year reviews, reward etc.)
- The HOW: The softer skills and the underlying leadership skills, the things that require a lot of planning, attention and time. It involves providing clarity, encouragement, development, support etc.
Some key management skills demonstrated – The management approach, control and direct the team to achieve defined results (task-oriented).
· The obvious one: performance management
· Setting up SMART objectives and development plans
· Giving feedback
· Coaching
· Managing underperformance (formal and informal development plans)
· Appraising & rewarding
· Planning
· Knowing and complying with the policies
· Running focused one on one discussions
Some key leadership skills demonstrated – The leadership approach, influence, inspire and motivate others to contribute towards organizational success (people & business success oriented)
· Providing a vision
· Inspiring, motivating and convincing others
· Communicating and making complex ideas easy to understand
· Demonstrating ambition
· Showing integrity so people trust you (trust is the basis for all interactions you have)
· Building engagement
· Displaying business acumen
· The obvious one: performance management
· Setting up SMART objectives and development plans
· Giving feedback
· Coaching
· Managing underperformance (formal and informal development plans)
· Appraising & rewarding
· Planning
· Knowing and complying with the policies
· Running focused one on one discussions
Some key leadership skills demonstrated – The leadership approach, influence, inspire and motivate others to contribute towards organizational success (people & business success oriented)
· Providing a vision
· Inspiring, motivating and convincing others
· Communicating and making complex ideas easy to understand
· Demonstrating ambition
· Showing integrity so people trust you (trust is the basis for all interactions you have)
· Building engagement
· Displaying business acumen
How do I develop leadership skills through the PM cycle?
All is quite simple really. In your job description you will probably have something like ‘Set up objectives for the team and each team member.’
That’s the part that’s in the JD, what’s not there is how to do this in a way that will engage your team to succeed.
So the best way to start is to share the vision, to make it your own and to translate it to your team in plain English. In a way that makes sense to your team members, in a way that shows them how important they are and in a way that explains how their individual contribution fits in.
Understanding the vision, mission, strategy, long and short terms goals of your organization. Thinking about potential questions, objections, answers; consulting with your HR/OD Business Partner to fully grasp the big picture; making the strategy your own and planning how to best communicate it etc. Well, all of these activities are not in your job description but are an inherent part of setting up objectives.
By doing these, by building that clear picture, not only will you facilitate the goal setting process of tying your team and individual objectives to what matters most for your organization, but also exercise and build your leadership skills (sharing the vision, building engagement etc.)
And it goes on through the whole performance management cycle. Each step in the process has hidden aspects that will help you put in practice these key leadership attributes. And the beauty of it, is that just by following a yearly process you’ll have many great opportunities to practice both your management & leadership skills.
All is quite simple really. In your job description you will probably have something like ‘Set up objectives for the team and each team member.’
That’s the part that’s in the JD, what’s not there is how to do this in a way that will engage your team to succeed.
So the best way to start is to share the vision, to make it your own and to translate it to your team in plain English. In a way that makes sense to your team members, in a way that shows them how important they are and in a way that explains how their individual contribution fits in.
Understanding the vision, mission, strategy, long and short terms goals of your organization. Thinking about potential questions, objections, answers; consulting with your HR/OD Business Partner to fully grasp the big picture; making the strategy your own and planning how to best communicate it etc. Well, all of these activities are not in your job description but are an inherent part of setting up objectives.
By doing these, by building that clear picture, not only will you facilitate the goal setting process of tying your team and individual objectives to what matters most for your organization, but also exercise and build your leadership skills (sharing the vision, building engagement etc.)
And it goes on through the whole performance management cycle. Each step in the process has hidden aspects that will help you put in practice these key leadership attributes. And the beauty of it, is that just by following a yearly process you’ll have many great opportunities to practice both your management & leadership skills.