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Leadership and the Importance of Support

6 July 2023
I remember watching Batman on TV in the 1970’s, gripped by the ending of each week’s instalment as Batman faced death defying situations, often relying on Robin or Alfred for support to survive them. This got me thinking about a misconception in business. Some people believe that the best leaders don’t need the same support systems at work as other employees. 
leadership support from Robin

I remember watching Batman on TV in the 1970’s, gripped by the ending of each week’s instalment as Batman faced death defying situations, often relying on Robin or Alfred for support to survive them. This got me thinking about a misconception in business. Some people believe that the best leaders don’t need the same support systems at work as other employees. 

However, just like Batman, these leaders are only human.

What drives exceptional leaders? Perhaps it’s their willingness to put others first, genuinely “eating last” and “getting on with it” without seeking recognition. But if organisations neglect the well-being of their leaders, they can become as stressed as anyone and underperform which can, in turn, negatively impact their teams. 

I believe leaders need support like everyone else. At Contigo, we work with businesses of all sizes to help their leaders develop a true leadership mindset to inspire and instil the right values in their teams and lead by example. 

The renowned management consultant and author Peter Drucker shared a lesson he learned in high school when his class was studying World War I. All studies showed that WWI was a war of total incompetence. Why? The conclusion was that the generals stayed way behind the lines and let the soldiers do the fighting and dying. This meant they lacked the direct experience required to be able to lead. Yes, effective leaders delegate, but they should avoid delegating to the detriment of being a role model. Role modelling sets the standards for followers. 

Mr. Drucker’s action point is this: Don’t expect to retain the respect of your employees if you completely delegate the central function of your enterprise, whether that is healing patients or selling bonds. Good leadership role models build healthy, happy, productive work cultures (more on this in our previous blog). 

Key leadership dimensions

Our ILM accredited leadership training focuses on developing 5 leadership dimensions: Authenticity, Vision, Ownership, Achievement, and Collaboration

  1. Authenticity entails behaving ethically, inspiring trust, and challenging others to do the same. Leading by positive example provides role models for team members.
  2. Visionary leaders are courageous and forward-looking. They maintain a positive attitude, anticipate obstacles, and guide the team to overcome them especially when the chips are down.
  3. Ownership is central to a leader’s performance, emphasising responsibility, initiative, decisiveness, self-reflection, and a willingness to learn. Humility is key to this. No one wants to work for an arrogant leader, right?
  4. A good leader is clear about purpose and targets, driving Achievement. This involves stretching themself and the team to adapt and achieve long-term success, overcoming obstacles along the way.
  5. Finally, collaboration is crucial, as leaders must effectively work with others, be socially sensitive, and embrace differences. This inspires teams to produce the best results.

Even with these qualities though, all leaders have limits. Organisations should not expect unlimited capacity from them simply because they may work at a higher pay grade. Leaders should feel comfortable seeking support and expressing concerns about their workload. The “Be Strong” psychological driver can cause leaders to hide burnout which can be problematic as work demands increase. 

Supporting leadership for retention and succession management

The Global Culture Report by OC Tanner lists the various responsibilities expected of today’s leaders, some of which (like administrative responsibilities) are fundamentally at odds with the leadership role. 

When leaders complete ‘hidden’ or unnoticed tasks, they can be left feeling unappreciated. This has been found to increase potential to burnout by 45%. 

Conversely, recognition and gratitude from their employer is often perceived as more important than financial rewards. 

Leaders, like anyone, can experience exhaustion and mental health issues in high-pressure environments so, to retain talented leaders at the highest level, organisations must provide support, reinforcement, and appreciation.

This reminded me of George – a middle manager and team leader of about 40 NHS staff. He was attending, as it turned out – quite reluctantly, one of my leadership training courses. It was clear to everyone, including me, that George really didn’t want to be there and appeared very disgruntled.

At the break, I took him to one side and asked him what was wrong. He admitted that he didn’t want to be there. He had originally gone into care because he simply wanted to care for people and he had wanted to give back to the profession that had helped his mother when she was suffering from cancer. Instead, a series of promotions recognising his excellent work had taken him away from frontline care and into a management role which meant he was too often sitting at a computer dealing with spreadsheets.

George and I talked calmly and eventually I suggested that he might delegate some of the computer work to members of his team that might enjoy it more than he did. This was a ‘penny drop’ moment for George and his eyes lit up. It hadn’t occurred to him that he could lead his team and still get on with doing what he liked doing. 

I heard afterwards from some of his colleagues that he was a changed man. The course had given him a new perspective and he began fulfilling his purpose in his leadership role with authenticity, vision and passion. 

The Global Culture Report emphasises the need to help leaders thrive, as their well-being directly impacts employees and George’s transformation had a positive knock-on effect to the rest of his team. 

Effective leadership succession planning and management ensures continuity, enhances productivity, and improves employee retention.

While real-life workplace superhumans don’t wear capes, they do require recognition and appreciation if they are to perform at their best.

At Contigo, we specialise in bespoke cultural development solutions, including experiential leadership training programmes which help create leadership teams that build supportive organisations.

Let’s talk about your transformative journey together—book a free discovery call with us.

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