Trust – The Catalyst
Behind a great vision is purpose! Understanding the importance of leading with purpose and applying the principles at the workplace is one of the most sought-after leadership skills.
The purpose is the very backbone of any company. Having self-trust, a leader will always take advice from people and make informed decisions at the right time. The person who leads with purpose has this as his main quality that is to be one with his passion and the team. It is this purpose and the trust which works as a catalyst steering the company on.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day” is ages old idiom which stands appropriate even in today’s era. Nothing great comes without hard work, time dedication, and determination.
Similarly, great companies are not built in a matter of one day. Instead, they reach a certain level of excellence only after a considerable period when all the company's groups work tirelessly towards the same goal. For a company to function well, all the employees must pull their weight and do their best at all given points in time.
However, the most important person in any organization or company is the leader. A leader should be one who can truly lead his team in the right direction with a purpose in his mind. Leaders who are close to their teams, who can share a vision and establish a trustful environment, are more likely to achieve good results contributing to organizational growth.
This article focuses on the various aspects of leadership traits and the importance of acquiring the qualities of a leader to become a successful person at heart and mind.
1.Company’s image without filters explained
It is the task of a leader to introduce the employees to the hard facts and reality simply by defining the company’s strengths and weaknesses.
Supposedly, if a new rival company opens up and the employees start to feel deflated in spirit. This is the time when a true leader takes the first position and lead from the front by visualizing and explaining the employees with reality and reassuring them about it.
A leader will try to gain the trust of the employees by justifying to them how and in what aspects they will be able to outdo the new company. Also, the leader defines how and in what areas they will have to improve to maintain their valuable clients. In fact, they must be ready for any challenges at any given point in time.
2. Blunders - A trick or treat at the workplace
Conversely, while carrying out duties at the workplace, blunders are a huge waste of time and money. To avoid such mistakes, a leader takes the center stage as he knows what the company represents and knows everything about the company. Hence, has no qualms about constantly repeating comprehensively to the employees what they have to do especially when the employees are confused about something.
It is very crucial for a leader with a purpose to break things down at the initial level into a simplified way and communicate things to employees from time to time so that they don’t make any blunders when carrying out the duties entrusted to them by the higher authorities/management.
3. Man of Vision with Translucent Motives
A leader with a purpose is someone who can unite everyone in the company to work in unison. No one ends up trying to chase their selfish motives or agendas. The leader should make sure that the employees can see things through their eyes. If the leader keeps them at sea about what he is doing and what the company is up to, then they will never be able to feel at one with the company. The leader and the employees need to be on the same page.
4. Sense of purpose – A two-way process
The leader inspires the employees in the organization to have a sense of purpose within them as well. If the employees feel noticed and needed, then they are obligated to give their best shot. In addition to letting them feel important, they will understand that if they do not properly do their respective jobs, then they will be well informed and aware of the conditions which will let you trace the problems very easily, and the employees by default will value the transparency of the whole system.
5. Focus-oriented holistic approach
In the corporate world, time is indispensable. Clinging to deadlines and staying focused at all times is the only possible way to make certain that the establishment doesn’t fall flat whatever it may take to keep it intact. Even it should stand tall in difficult times whatever obstacles may come.
A leader with a holistic approach along with technical skill and knowledge and a great amount of practical wisdom can think on his feet and even rationalize things very easily. He has the inherent ability to make judgment calls and knows and is very well-versed with what to do and when to do it. He knows that the call he has taken will benefit the company a great deal.
Tom Rath has rightly said, “Perhaps the ultimate test of a leader is not what you can do in the here and now - but instead what continues to grow long after you’re gone.” [3]
Everything we do in life involves teamwork in some form be it family, marriage, society, and work. Your leadership vision is only sustainable through teamwork. Self-trust and working towards the noble cause and rendering your services by being a vital part of the organization must be conducted by keeping in mind the employees' strengths and weaknesses.
Leaders with purpose know how to define and direct activity to ensure organizational, follower, and personal success. A leader has to be realistic in approach and should take the employees into confidence and notify them about the task in advance as there is no space for blunders. Time is money for the company.
Investing in the employees is the smartest business decision that a company makes as they are vital part of the organization. “Happy employees, even happier customers.” [4]
For instance, an important question to ponder over.
What qualities do you think you inherit from a good leader that makes you different from others and you make a difference in other people’s lives?
References:
- David G. Altman and Sara N. King, Four Rules for Leading with Purpose, Forbes, July 27, 2011.
- Nick Craig and Scott A. Snook, Managing Yourself- From Purpose to Impact, Harvard Business Review, May 2014 Issue.
- https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/6147075
- https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/315095
About the Author
Dr. Anjila Singh Mehla is a Ph.D. in English, an expert in business communication, and a LinkedIn enthusiast. She has authored the book "The Self in Society: Exploring Cultural Embeddedness in Gloria Naylor’s Fiction" and has trained thousands of students on business etiquette.