How to Become a Better Leader Webinar
Strong leadership plays a vital role in shaping the success of any organisation. Therefore, understanding the factors that contribute to effective leadership is essential for those who find themselves in these roles. Greg Fantham, Course Leader of our online MSc Business and Organisational Psychology and Assistant Professor at Heriot-Watt University Dubai provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamental principles of effective leadership in our latest webinar, “How to Become a Better Leader”.
Key Takeaways
Getting A Leadership Role Doesn't Make You A Good Leader
Various skills, such as emotional intelligence, communication, strategic thinking, and problem-solving, contribute to effective leadership. However, the characteristics that can help secure a leadership role may not necessarily align with the traits required to be an effective or good leader. Those who rise to roles in leadership may have reached these heights through alternative skills such as political prowess, networking, or even aggressive ambition. However, having these attributes doesn’t guarantee effective leadership, and being able to inspire and guide a team.
Assistant Professor Greg Fantham highlighted the diversity issues that this can lead to: “Women tend to be better at being there [in leadership positions] than getting there, which is why we have a relatively small proportion of women CEOS who are actually good, and maybe a slightly larger proportion of male CEOs who are not so good.”
Reflect On What You Really Want As A Leader
To be an effective leader, it is important to reflect on what you really want to achieve as a leader and what type of leader you want to be. Assistant Professor Fantham highlights three styles of leadership: transformational, transactional, and Laissez-faire.
Transformational Leadership: Transformational leaders inspire charismatic communication, intellectual stimulation, and individualised consideration. Greg says, “[transformational leadership] is made in an effort to tame charisma and put it in a more sensible context and pointing out that being charismatic isn’t the only thing you need to be”. These leaders encourage creativity, show genuine concern for individual development, and lead by example, fostering a culture of empowerment and growth.
Transactional Leadership: Transactional leaders focus on the exchange between leaders and followers, emphasising a clear structure of rewards and punishments based on performance. They provide guidance and feedback, set specific goals and expectations, and ensure that tasks are completed efficiently through a system of rewards and consequences.
Laissez-Faire Leadership: Laissez-faire leaders, sometimes known as “non-leadership”, adopt a hands-off approach, allowing their team members to make their own decisions and manage their own tasks. According to Greg, this style of leadership could be effective when “everything is going fine, and you don’t need anything to change at that moment.”
By reflecting on what you want to achieve as a leader, you can establish what type of leadership will help you achieve your goals. For example, a leader who has a strong desire to achieve a specific goal may use a more transactional style, whereas a leader who wants to develop a strong bond with their team may utilise a more transformative style. However, it is important to note that a leader can adopt more than one leadership style depending on the situation they find themselves in. “There is definitely room for switching between these different styles within the theory of transformational leadership”, says Greg.
"Good Leadership Is Good Followership Is Good Leadership"
Mutual trust, respect, and collaboration between leaders and “followers” is an essential part of effective leadership. “Good leadership is good followership is good leadership”, says Greg. A good leader is someone who demonstrates qualities that inspire and encourage their followers to contribute their best efforts, while a good follower is someone who actively engages with their leader, supports their vision, offers constructive criticism, and collaborates effectively within the team or organisation. This relationship between leaders and followers is essential for creating a successful and productive work environment. Therefore, by creating a bond and sense of trust with their followers, leaders can grow and learn with their team.
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