The function of leadershipāthe number-one responsibility of a leaderāis to catalyze a clear and shared vision for the company and to secure commitment to and vigorous pursuit of that vision. This is a universal requirement of leadership, and no matter what your style, you must perform this function.
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That definition is simply this: Leadership is the art of getting people to want to do what must be done.
Notice three things about this definition. First, as a leader, itās your responsibility to figure out what must be done. You might do this by your own insight and instinct or, more likely, via dialogue and debate with the right people; but however you do it, you need to get clear. Second, itās not about getting people to do what must be done but about getting them to want to do it. Third, itās not a science; itās an art.
As described earlier, one of the primary functions of corporate vision is to add meaning, to be a source of motivation for extraordinary human effort. A clear and compelling vision is essential to people seeing the importance of their work. If you havenāt yet read Chapter 4 on vision, read it. If you havenāt set a vision, do so.
Also, remember that one of the components of a good vision is a set of core values and beliefs, a set of guiding principles and precepts. This underlying set of core values plays an essential role in guiding peopleās daily behavior and standards. In fact, there is a direct link between values and tactical execution. For example, if one of your core values is ātreat customers like human beingsā and if it is well inculcated through your organization (as it is at L.L.Bean), people are going to treat customers like human beings.
A classic definition of leadership is inspiring others to perform and achieve a shared vision. This is true, but I would rephrase this definition of leadership as the art of building trust and meaningful connections in an environment where results matter. The leader is in charge of supporting the team, and this requires interdependence: being in relationship with others who depend on you just as you depend on them.
The basic task of leadership is to increase the standard of living and the quality of life for all
Stakeholders.
A leaderās responsibility is to identify the strengths of the people on their team, no matter how buried those strengths might be. I thought about that often when I was sitting down with the new team at EMP. It was tempting to weed out everyone who had a reputation as a less-than-stellar employee; eventually, some folks would need to be managed out. But first, I needed to make sure a hidden capability wasnāt lurking behind someoneās subpar performance.