Jun 01 2008
Engineering Team Spirit Is An Essential Leadership Responsibility
A very good friend of mine runs a highly successful information technology service in the South of England and his private-sector customers include many Times Top 100 companies. We often exchange opinions and I recently asked his views on leadership, because I have always been impressed with his commitment to “people development”
He believes leadership is all about bringing out the best in the firm’s 1800 employees. “We have a very informal, non-hierarchical structure,” he says. “The task of our leaders is not simply to issue orders but to act as role models in providing our customers with what they want in terms of teamwork, friendliness, delivery and, in general, supplying a top-class service”. Many of those who join the company are former customers. “We first of all put them through a programme which helps them to understand what we are trying to do, then a management team shows them how our ideas are put into practice.”
When trying to identify future leaders, he and his management colleagues adopt the premise that anyone possessing sufficient motivation can become a leader. “But obviously some are better than others, and the best are likely to end up as managing directors,” he says. “I believe that leadership is something that can be taught, but that’s not a reason for trying to teach everybody everything. We need good team players, and the leaders are those who enable them to give off their best.”
The ultimate test of a leader, he believes, is whether the individual can generate trust in others. “We are not one of those companies where self-interest is dominant,” he says. He would not comment on the general quality of British management, often portrayed in a negative light in the media. “I don’t know whether we are ahead of other firms in our thinking, but we are certainly doing something different. I don’t know anywhere else where the staff can talk to the boss in the frank and informal way that they do here. I go around meeting each member of the staff individually twice a year to brief them on what’s going on and on our plans for the future. Because they know they are not going to be shot for speaking their minds, they’ll all have a go at it. It’s not just one-way communication.”
Very interesting and visionary thoughts, which go a long way in explaining the company’s success.
Today’s News: There is a relatively new site that specialises in promoting blogs - they have hundreds, if not thousands, and whilst they do not have a specialised business section yet, lots of serious business bloggers are represented within the “General” section.
It is owned by Lynda Geller, who I first connected with when she wanted to publish some of my work over at NewsFactor. Obviously, a very smart cookie and a very genuine person too.
Do check Blogowogo out and be sure to click on the “Top Rated Blogs” button:-)
Two Top Sales Experts are hosting webinars over at Business Expert Webinars this week:
1) Turn Sales & Marketing Dissonance Into Profitable Harmony
Hosted by Maureen Blandford
Monday June 2nd 2008 – 2.30pm Eastern (7.30pm GMT)
Details Here
2) Trigger Events? How To Find Your Next Customer
Hosted by Alen Majer
Tuesday June 3rd 2008 – 10.00am Eastern (3.00pm GMT)
Details Here
Tomorrow: It is debut time for fellow Top Sales Expert, Terri Dunevant on The JF Guest Author Spot
Jonathan,
Browsing for some decent business blogs, I came across your site and am enjoying the reads here. The team spirit question is a real tough one. I was listening to an old BBC Radio 4 In Business podcast today and LBS Professor Lynda Gratton was talking about this very topic. It appears that the Holy Grail is the creation and management of Hot Spots within organisations, where groups burn with creative endeavour, often completely out of sync with the rest of the organisation. The leadership challenge is to harness this energy and allow the people to deliver without destabilising what sits around them. It can take some courage.