‘Becoming an effective leader is the foundation to become a great director says John Fuerst, Vice President Engineering, Delphi Powertrain Systems.
Being a leader might sound like a complicated task; however, it is easy to become an effective leader by following a few simple tips. Posing as a role model to the other employees will help in inspiring them to boost their potential. Thus, it is extremely important to know what it takes to become an exceptional director and give your best to the organization.
- Here are some of the key leadership skills quoted by John Fuerst:
- Strategic thinking
A managing director needs to operate with a rational and strategic viewpoint. A good managing director must understand the broader picture of the business and must focus on the long-term goals of the organization. The director must spend a good amount of time in knowing the employees and ask for any suggestions that might help in improving the organization.
For a stable growth of an organization, it is important to delegate authorities which will ensure that the management actively participates in the progress of the organization.
- Great listener
Communication is the key to success. It is essential to listen to the people in your organization as they are the pillars of your company. Running a successful organization is purely based on the management and the employees, thus it is important to know what they feel.
As a managing director, it is highly unadvisable to be a totalitarian, this will diminish the productivity of the employees. When you listen to your employees, it helps them come up with more creative ideas and gives them a sense of responsibility.
- Inspire the people around you
If you can instill inspiration in people you work with, then everybody will work harder and it will ultimately be beneficial for the organization. It will help the organization to approach a novel way of working and enlighten the members towards innovative perspectives. In one of his interviews, John Fuerst stated that with it is extremely important to make the most of your power, otherwise, it is of no use.
It is important to approach your leadership in a way that it is inspiring enough to motivate the employees to make an extra effort. Know that incentives are not always monetary, if you are able to inspire or motivate your employees to work better, you are already winning.
- Learn to trust your employees
As a manager, it is necessary to trust your employees and let them follow their own rules sometimes. You don’t want to interfere in everything they do and give them benefit of doubt. Being the director- you don’t want to make your employees think that you do all their work for them.
You should not be heavily involved in activities such as front-line delivery of products. However, it is important to intervene whenever required. You must not leave it entirely up to the employees, it is extremely necessary to keep a check on various activities to ensure that everything is going as it is supposed to.
- Be specific
Clarity of aims and objectives will make it easier for the employees to work efficiently towards the organizational goals. Any kind of vagueness will only lead to poor outcomes. Make sure that you communicate the objectives correctly which helps everyone to stay focused on their tasks. You can also initiate specific operational changes which will help the organization to function at its best.
If you feel that your strategies are not implemented correctly, you must make sure to convey the same. Make sure you put your point in a way that it is easy for employees of all designations to understand what you are trying to imply.