Feature insight - leadership
and wellbeing.” So, this raises the question: what makes a good leader? And is leadership a natural ability or can it be taught effectively? Elaine Gibson, CIPP education director, says this question often comes up on the Institute’s Masters programme and she is constantly challenging students with it. She says: “I don’t think anyone is born with leadership abilities. We are all different and we are all born with different personalities, but I think our life experiences affect our personalities from a very young age.” Gibson is a firm believer in the concept of ‘human flourishing’. She explains: “It’s linked to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. Something he said resonates with me. He taught that all human life has a purpose, but as life develops, so does the purpose. This alludes to the human flourishing concept. Our life experiences, both personally and professionally, shape our traits. “So, I personally don’t believe that leadership is a natural ability. Sometimes people are told they are a natural leader, but I think it’s a case of experience. When I think back to when I first started work and I look at myself now, it’s night and day. So, I think life experience creates our traits, personally and professionally. The life of hard knocks creates situations and we either embrace and learn from them and become a better version of ourselves, or we push back.” As well as experience, Gibson believes time to reflect on the lessons learned is essential in developing leadership skills: “What I always encourage among my team or students is self-reflection. Every
now and again it’s important to take a breather when you’re stressed out and look in the mirror, because sometimes, when you’re under stress, you can act in an irrational way and later regret it and wish you’d acted differently.” ...difference between creating an open, friendly culture and the leader being everyone’s friend However, facing up to reality can be difficult, she adds: “For example, a 360-degree appraisal can be brutal. Sometimes you’re ticking along okay; you think the team are doing what you want and they seem quite happy. But then you find something out and think, ‘Oh, I didn’t realise that,’ and you realise you have to change your behaviour as a leader. “No leader is perfect, and you have to be open to change.” Phipps concurs. He says: “There are a number of measures [leaders] can take to ensure that employees feel safe, comfortable and happy in their roles. “It’s important to give your workforce the opportunity to contribute their thoughts on how well you support their physical and mental wellbeing. More importantly, you need to take the time to consider how you could be doing better.” The concept of constant learning as a leader has formed a mantra for Gibson: challenge, change and transformation. She explains: “Every day you learn
something and every day you face a challenge. Whenever you hit a challenge, you transform because you learn how to deal with it, so the next time the situation occurs, you deal with it better.” The working environment and team culture will impact on a leader’s behaviour, adds Gibson: “If you have a negative team climate, a really important leadership skill is to face up to the issues, get to the root- cause and be brave enough to speak out.” Often, though, there is a gap in the perception of the culture between a leader and the team. The importance of recognising that, and the ability to build a positive culture, is highlighted by more YouGov research commissioned by MHR, surveying 1,174 UK employees in July 2018. The survey found that only 49% of employees believe the portrayed public image of the company they work for matches the actual experience of working there. In contrast, the study shows how positive cultures can inspire employees, with nearly two thirds (63%) saying they were given the flexibility and support to do their job, and many citing the feeling of being trusted and having understanding managers as reasons for their satisfaction. However, Gibson points out that there’s a difference between creating an open, friendly culture and the leader being everyone’s friend. She explains: “I’ve been in a situation where you have friends and colleagues at a certain level and then you get a promotion and think, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m responsible for those individuals now.’ You need to have that business-head on, which can sometimes be very hard if you’re talking to somebody who actually, outside of work, is a very good friend.” Shelton agrees that the ‘friend factor’ can cause leadership headaches, regardless of the circumstances of the managerial appointment. She says: “Managers promoted from within often struggle to make the transition from being everyone’s friend to be the boss. While managers appointed from outside an organisation often arrive wanting to prove their managerial abilities, but find it difficult to balance demonstrating authority with wanting people to like them. “Being a good people manager requires a very specific skillset, the right training and effective internal processes that drive employee engagement.” Gibson warns that team members’
41
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 45 | November 2018
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker