How to Be an Effective Leader: Lessons from Lead Today

(Originally published as a LinkedIn article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-effective-leader-lessons-from-lead-today-matt-waller-1c/)

There are three essential practices that form the foundation for Lead Today, a video series designed to equip leaders with practical, everyday leadership skills.

Looking for a recap of principles we’ve discussed on Lead Today?

You’re in the right place. Here we go…

Practice #1. Lead something today.

Leadership hinges on change, whether it be reactive or proactive. So, think of something that needs to change, then write down three action steps to make this change happen today.

Intention is everything. To achieve the desired results, there must be intention and clarity with each action step. From brainstorming to execution, leaders must be clear about their plans and intentional in their actions.

Here are some additional pointers to help you lead something today.

Understand your vision and values. Memorize your organization’s vision, mission, and values. The more familiar you are with these statements, the more likely the company’s mission and values will drive real conversations and action.

Think strategically. Opportunities and challenges regularly arise in business, and leaders must be aware and ready to act. By thinking strategically, leaders are able to painlessly reframe the vision and strategic direction to match the realities of the business environment. Studying trends and how they affect your business is one of the best ways to think strategically.

Plan strategically. Providing strategic direction is one of the most important actions a leader can take. From data, research, and insights, it’s the leader’s job to ask, “What is all this saying?” The data should reveal an overarching story, a basic truth, about the customer. Once identified, a strategic plan founded on this basic truth can help move the company where it needs to be.

Practice #2. Experiment with leadership techniques and stick with those that work

Effective leaders have toolkits filled with tools, techniques, and practices that stimulate productivity and innovation. There are a number of tools leaders can use to improve the company’s performance and their own effectiveness.

Consider just two: mentorships and agenda-setting…

Be a mentor. Being someone’s mentor is imperative. By mentoring organizational members, leaders develop the next generation and foster a culture of mentoring. Ultimately, mentors should aim to provide well-rounded lessons, insights, and experiences, so mentees can exceed their mentors.

Use an agenda. An agenda is a one-page document that defines objectives, supporting strategies, and goals. Agendas provide leaders a weekly or biweekly reference to ensure organizational priorities are in line with their goals. When agendas are shared with direct reports, agenda-setting facilitates internal alignment and reduces the threat of micromanagement.

Practice #3. Become a student of leadership

Leaders foster innovation and progress when they assume the role of “student” and engage other team members in conversation. By listening to voices at many levels, leaders can chart the right path forward for their companies. When leaders actively try to relate to others, and work to build a common vision, they can make sense of where the organization is and what comes next.

Strategic-alignment and sensemaking are two leadership activities that rely on leaders being students…

Align your team with your strategic vision. It’s simple — leaders are followed. They set the direction of an organization. It is a core responsibility of a leader to ensure his or her team understands the organization’s strategic direction. Does your team know where the organization is going? Just ask. Be a student.

Improve your sensemaking capabilities. It’s time to look at what’s happening within and outside of the company — and make sense of it all. Sensemaking is a form of reflection. The leadership team needs to look at moves of competitors, changes in demand and supply, changes in price, etc., and reflect on what it means in terms that are relevant to the organization. Internally, to do it successfully, leaders need to document organizational decisions and changes and then rigorously analyze them to understand what’s truly happening in the organization. External and internal sensemaking requires an articulation that takes into account the values and attitudes of those in the organization.

Practices like these are crucial to effective leadership, and they’re the essence of the Lead Today video series.

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(Originally published as a LinkedIn article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-effective-leader-lessons-from-lead-today-matt-waller-1c/)