Last fall, the HCA Advisor discussed leadership - how it is defined and nurtured. We see three characteristics of great leaders:
- A strong, determined personality
- A wealth of self-confidence
- Sophisticated emotional intelligence
We also said the most important attribute of a great leader is to "know thyself."
Not every employee can become a great leader, but each employee can be developed to the extent their attributes, skills and drive will take them. How to effectively develop your team members will be the subject of the next series of HCA Advisor articles through the fall.
Leaders and Managers
There are great football or basketball coaches who can draw successful plays. They know the X's and O's of the sport. And with the right players, they can manage the game and the team to significant success. But they may not be great leaders. The Vince Lombardi's of football or the Phil Jackson's of basketball, on the other hand, are leaders who inspired their players to achieve extraordinary results even as the players change and a new set of X's and O's need to be employed. Other coaches possess strengths that make them great tacticians, organizers and execution geniuses.
"Successful executives of today and tomorrow need to be multi-dimensional. I call them corporate athletes - mentally, emotionally, physically balanced and firing on all cylinders."
--Connie Broomfield
HCA Strategic Advisor
and Coach
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"Today's business environment is not unlike a sporting match in that it is marked by rapid change, challenges and considerable complexities with 24/7 demands," says Connie Broomfield, a Senior Executive Coach with HCA. The keys to success are getting the most out of your team - with individuals buying into the plan while also performing at their best. We need leaders to craft the strategy and vision, build the leadership team with managers to create the culture, the tactics and to execute the plan. Broomfield notes that "successful executives of today and tomorrow need to be multi-dimensional. I call them corporate athletes - mentally, emotionally, physically balanced and firing on all cylinders."
"Leaders have a future orientation and take people and the organization beyond where it has previously been," notes Broomfield. "Leaders must take responsibility for developing themselves and investing in their people." Managers are relied upon for their problem-solving capabilities, organizational skills and communications talents, all directed to successfully carrying out the business plans and achieving the organization's strategic goals.
Not every manager can be an effective leader although most executives possess traits in both categories. "An organization may ask us to help a good manager become a better leader, and many times a coaching intervention can succeed," says Ted Bruccoleri, HCA's CEO. "But sometimes after assessments and analysis, we have to say, she's not ready or he doesn't seem to possess the personal skills and strengths or what it takes to be a leader," says Bruccoleri.
Developing People
HCA's Mark House develops team workshops as well as coaches individuals to become better leaders. He cites five techniques for developing people:
"Coaches listen to find the true voice of leaders and help them find that path."
--HCA Coach Mark House
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1. Consulting and training...where an individual may be advised on techniques she can use to achieve a specific goal. It's not usually a two-way process. Think of it as giving advice or teaching her the X's and O's of her job.
2. Counseling...involves asking questions of an individual to help them find their own answers, much like a psychologist or psychiatrist might with a patient. It's a journey of self-discovery but limited to a specific problem or issue.
3. Life Coaching...helps an individual make decisions on a grander scale. "It's like helping them realize what they want to be when they grow up," says House.
