Continued from last week, there are two more key points from the Franklin Covey Survey study that Steve Miller discusses in his article, as he compares great and average first-level leaders :
Strategic Focus
Twenty percent of average first-level leaders are very confident they know which tasks matter most, compared to 47 percent of great first-level leaders.
“Another competency that highly effective first-level leaders need to master is discerning between important and urgent priorities”.
“If you want to build influence with your team”, he continues…
Ask yourself: Is what I’m telling my team to focus on progressing our most important business objectives and team mission? How are these activities sustaining engagement and releasing the creative potential and talent of our team members?
Business Results
Thirty percent of average first-level leaders are very confident they can manage a project successfully through to completion, compared to 60 percent of great first-level leaders.
”Successful leaders of projects and initiatives have several commonalities—they understand the timeless principle popularized by the famed author Dr. Stephen R. Covey known as “No involvement, no commitment.” Thus they overcommunicate and clarify objectives, responsibilities, and what success looks like.
“Great first-level leaders create teams where customers are delighted, employees are engaged, and their business results are strong… average leaders deliver only average results—and most organizations can’t afford average results. Customers will simply find the better ones somewhere else.
As I discuss with groups I work with, the good news is that leaders can learn, grow, and hone these vital skills throughout their careers.