Essential skills to improve performance.

How Do Leadership Skills Improve Professional Performance?

If productivity is about efficiency, improvement, working smarter not harder and removing barriers, then performance really is about the human element. It is not a system or a process, it is a leadership approach.

“Leadership is like a muscle. The more intelligently you train, the stronger you get.”

From the courses in this platform, you will have already identified different leadership styles and the impact they have on people, performance and engagement. In this lesson we get right to the critical 5 leadership skills that will increase your business performance.

Teamwork and Collaboration

If you haven't completed the MyTeam module, you might be wondering why teamwork is the number 1 performance improver. Teamwork and collaboration are critical in 2 ways.

People perform better with others. You won't get by without a little help from your friends. There is only so much you can do. There are only so many ideas or perspectives you can hold. That is why organisations are built around teams. The success of the teams performance is directly correlated to the skills of the leader. Leaders of teams create partnerships and groups of individuals who want to achieve a common goal, purpose or objective. So collective intelligence, collective effort and collaboration will increase your performance if you are led effectively.

Motivation and performance is linked to belonging. People work better in teams. Ideas are generated in discussions. Support, encouragement, mentoring and coaching is given in teams. People are social creatures and need other people to thrive. When people feel part of something, like they belong and are included, their performance increases. Peer pressure is a great performance enhancer too. When people commit to a goal, a code of conduct, align, they feel like they belong. They don't want to be rejected by the team, so they do what they can to be accepted. If you lead effectively, you can ensure the team norms and culture are positive and people adopt them if they want to stay in the group. No-one wants to let others down, so they perform to stay in.

Managing Change

Leaders who are experts in managing change, even in the most uncertain and volatile environments, increase performance. 

Leaders who perceive change positively and with a sense of excitement and urgency create a movement and momentum in others. They embrace change as a force for good, an opportunity to be seized. There’s no point in fearing change since it’s inevitable and we can’t control it. When leaders resist change, they encourage others to do so. Just look at Blockbusters and Kodak.

Leaders who encourage flexibility and adaptability will encourage others to ride the waves. The vision and mission are still certain, but the route to it, the strategy, may need to flex as external pressures impact you. Wise leaders recognise when change is happening and adjust performance, goals and plans accordingly.

These leadership skills help others to understand what’s going on externally, to feel safe in the uncertainty and to focus on performance, rather than waste energy in fear. They are open and transparent, involving others in the design and implementation of change. They help people to feel empowered to make the necessary changes to improve performance. 

Communication

Busy leaders often let communication slip. They stop listening to others because they don't have time and they send emails rather than actively communicate important messages. 

Leaders who create a high performance culture put communication as a priority. They take the time to communicate on a human level. They walk the floor, drop in on coffee catch ups and speak via personal style videos, podcasts or letters. And then they listen. To get the best ideas, you are required  to ask for input, test assumptions and listen very carefully.

Learning Agility

The world of change is speeding up. The world is volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. It is not going to change. Therefore, to continue performing, leaders need to be learning agile, and create a learning culture. Leaders need to reflect on situations, assess how they performed, apply the new knowledge and upskill. They then encourage others to do the same. Before moving on to the next issue at hand, ask your team, "What did we learn here?" 

Visit the Learning Cultures course to learn more.

Judgment

This is at the core of leadership. Fundamentally, judgment is about getting the most important calls right — when it comes to both people and strategy. Without good people judgment, your team’s performance will suffer. Without a strong team, your strategy will not be executed effectively.

On a personal note, look at your own judgement and decision making abilities. What are the ingredients that make you perform at your best. For some it means getting more sleep, meditating, or having a healthy body and mind. For others it is creating a trusted circle of advisors where you can test ideas and seek other perspectives. Some get mentors or coaches. The best leaders do all of that.

Then look at who you need in your team and organisation. Look first for people who have demonstrated high performance, integrity, and the desire to assume greater levels of responsibility. Watch out for talent who treat others with respect, encouragement and support. 

Success depends on asking the right questions, experimenting, and constantly adjusting your approach. Letting go of always being right or always having the answer will create a higher performance and good decision making tally.