It is funny how life can move and blend, bringing completely different experiences together to present wonderful leadership lessons.

Recently, I was able to spend time with a colleague of mine who had founded and leads a volunteer driven organisation. The organisation is growing, and it was enjoyable learning about the twists and turns as we shared stories of common experiences.

However, I sensed an underlying frustration. It is a frustration I have seen many times. He just didn’t seem clear or sure about their direction. He felt pressured and pushed in different directions. He wasn’t quite getting the outcomes he had hoped for.

As this conversation swirled around my mind, I received the very sad news that my brother-in-law was seriously ill. Sadly, he passed away three days later. I really miss him but have been ok with sitting in the grief and taking time to mourn.

I was honoured with the role of preparing and reading a portion of his eulogy at the funeral. It was encouraging seeing evidence of a life well lived. As we remembered his life, shared stories, common threads and themes emerged. He had impacted so many lives in a positive way. It was nice to hear how he had adapted his leadership style for different situations. Yet while his approach changed, he still found ways to allow core elements of his character to shine.

For me, these completely different experiences blended to present a wonderful leadership reminder. They remind me of a leadership discipline that I practice and encourage all leaders to adopt.

This leadership discipline is applied at the start of each new leadership role. It is to define a specific leadership style you intend to adopt and openly share it with those directly impacted by your leadership in the new role.

Not all leadership styles translate to every situation. Leaders move in and out of differing roles throughout their lifetime. Different situations require different leadership expressions.

At times, well into the leadership role the intended outcomes do not eventuate as hoped. This leadership discipline can also be applied in these situations.

It only takes three simple steps to apply this leadership discipline.

Step 1. Identify and describe 3-6 key leadership ideas that you will endeavour to carry out during your role. Focus on the most important ideas that will bring success. Focus on leadership ideas that will contribute and enhance the organisation values and culture. Focus on leadership ideas that you will be known for.

Step 2. Share these 3-6 key leadership ideas with your team and those you report to.

Step 3. Utilise the key organisational reporting moments to self-reflect on how well you are adhering to the key leadership ideas. Also, reflect on any evidence that the leadership ideas are delivering the outcomes you had planned.

This simple leadership discipline delivers great benefit to you, your team and those you report to, by;
• Helping maintain focus on the most important
• Helping you better define your leadership strengths
• Allowing you to create plan that aligns your strengths and the most important organisational goals
• Keeping you accountable for enacting them
• Allowing your team to adjust and adapt to your style
• Establishing a culture and a way of working

At Joseph Consulting we are passionate about helping leaders define specific leadership styles that will allow them success. Please call Joseph Consulting to start the conversation about defining your leadership for your new role.

Jason Gallagher
Director, Joseph Consulting