Leading from the front

As organisations, both local and multinational, grow more complex the role of leadership at all levels has never been more important. But the nature of leadership and the attributes of a good leader are also evolving to reflect changes in organisational dynamics, business norms and even the larger culture. Today’s business leader needs to have both the technical skills as well as, what I would call, facilitating attitudes to effectively align, mentor, and ultimately, inspire the men and women of the enterprise to effectively compete in the global market.

In my opinion, a good leader is really a creator more than a director.  By this I mean that the leader of an organisation has the responsibility to create a good climate where people feel energised, motivated and empowered to succeed. Another mandate of a leader involves creating a compelling vision for the organisation and clearly explaining it to all stakeholders. This responsibility for creation is not limited to the C-Suite, leaders at all levels need to work hard at creating an environment that facilitates success.

The key question then is what makes a good, or better, a great leader, and the related question – can leadership be taught to promising employees?

In answering this question we should first recognise that what is considered great leadership is in many ways determined by context. This could be enterprise specific such as its industry, corporate culture, values and history, or it could be the broader context of the national culture or international business environment.  Thus, a leader of an enterprise should be attuned to both internal and external dynamics when developing their personal leadership style.

That said, I believe there are some general characteristics associated with successful leaders, including a willingness to sacrifice their personal benefits for the good of the organisation or team, honesty which helps them win and keep the trust of their subordinates, and passion combined with a determination for success that builds confidence within the organisation and among external stakeholders. To be an effective leader in today’s world an individual also needs to have a positive attitude about both themselves and about people in general. This is critical because leading by dictating is proving to be less and less effective, and we need to engage our people in achieving shared objectives.  A leader should also be comfortable facilitating the growth and development of their staff, which can involve coaching as well as making career development opportunities available to them. 

Another important point is that a good leader should actively demonstrate leadership, which means that they should take responsibility for their decisions and be willing to be held accountable for the results. In my work, I have taken ownership of several key initiatives in order show I was willing to “walk the talk”. Good leaders also have a gift for effectively creating and guiding teams by ensuring that the composition of the team includes people with complementary talents who are empowered to openly express their opinions. By directly creating a number of these teams and ensuring this type of team is created throughout the organisation, the leader will establish a powerful network that will help turn vision into reality and drive his initiatives forward.

In terms of whether leadership can be taught, I would have to offer a qualified, yes.  Qualified because while leadership lessons can be taught, different individuals will have very different learning curves – due to differences in their experiences, attitudes and level of motivation.

In my own career, I believe I have learned more about leadership through direct observation and experience than through formal training.  This was perhaps facilitated by my ability to change my position every three years or so, and thus have the opportunity to work with a wide range of leaders and learn important lessons along the way.  

Personally, I think an excellent role model for great leadership is His Majesty the King. Throughout his reign HM the King has demonstrated all the attributes of leadership, including a tireless work ethic, a willingness to go into the field and be directly involved in important projects, and the ability to inspire not just the people around him but the whole nation. Further, HM the King has articulated a clear vision for Thailand and its people and has personally led the way toward the realisation of this vision.

We should all recognise that for most of us the path to leadership is long and we learn as we go. The real keys to becoming a successful leader are to be confident in yourself, have a positive can-do attitude, take advantage of the opportunities and challenges that you are presented with and always try to help your people to be better than they think they can be.  

 

Dhanawat Suthumpun is managing director at Hewlett-Packard (Thailand).