Category: Leadership – Ethics

Leadership ethics inspires others to follow you by looking at your decision making style and your listening habits.  In 25 plus years I’ve had the opportunity to work with some great executives who leadership ethics inspires others to follow whose characteristics separate these individuals from the rest.

One of the most compelling definitions of a leader is an individual whose mere presence inspires the desire to follow. When asked if leaders are born or bred, the general consensus is that leadership can be taught. Few have had the opportunity to be formally trained or mentored in proper ethics.  NextGen  Global Executive Search specializes in identifying and recruiting senior executives and functional leaders have the highest ethics in leading others.

Leadership Ethics Inspires Others to Follow

In today’s turbulent world, the type of leadership ethics inspire others to follow are present at a number of executive managers who devote their time and energy to leading the process of value creation.  It is this part of an individual that inspires others to follow.  We see character as the summation of an individual’s principles, values, and core beliefs by which one anchors and measures their behavior in all roles in life.  If character is the summation of our principles and values, then leadership ethics are the application of them.

Business Leadership Ethics, according to Aristotle, is moral virtue that comes about as a result of habit. Ethics has as its root “ethike,” formed by the slight variation of the word ethos (habit). Aristotle explained that moral virtues do not arise in us by nature; we must accept them, embrace them and perfect them by habit.

Leadership consultant and author Linda Fisher Thornton in her book “7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership” (2013) stated that “ethical leaders have a tremendous impact on how people in their organizations behave and what they achieve,” Thornton said. “Effective leaders focus on what’s right and exemplify to their people that they are there to help, and not to exploit the vulnerabilities of others.”

Training for Leadership Ethics Inspires Others

Leadership ethics training in business emphasizes understanding leader values and attributes is only the first step in development. In the business development role, success requires a fusion of who we are as an individual, along with our principles, values, ethics, and their application.

One example is Lockheed Martin, where annual training starts at the very top of their organization.  Chairman, President and CEO, Marillyn Hewson, trains her staff who themselves then train their respective teams, and this pattern continues until all employees have participated in a training session facilitated by their manager.

Investors are usually attracted towards companies that have great potential, not only in the present, but also in the future. That means, business organizations are always on the lookout for talented and skilled leaders who possess the top 3 leadership skills most desired and can contribute greatly to their goals. When it comes to interviewing leaders, Executive hiring managers are keen on how you value yourself in terms of potential to be a part of their organization. The competition is fierce; as a potential candidate, you need to stand out.

Most candidates have earned degrees that are complimentary for the role he / she seeks, but if you are looking for a way to put yourself in a new level from your competition, you need

Top 3 Leadership Skills include Social & Organizational

In every profession you take, communications skills are crucial. Being articulate is the top skill that executive hiring managers seek in candidates. Effective solutions, innovative concepts, and new techniques may not do any changes when you cannot get your ideas into words to relay to senior executives, investors, and/or colleagues. Communication skills also include attentive listening, speaking fluently, and organized writing. As such, social skills are at the forefront of the top 3 leadership skills most desired by the Board of Directors.

Executive hiring managers need leaders who can explain what others are talking about and also arrange these thoughts, ideas, and concepts in a comprehensive manner. Even if you are working remotely and your connection to your company is through the computer, you still need efficient communications skills to interact with your colleagues, clients, and team through chats, video conferencing, phone, and emails.

Social Skills

Working in a business organization means that you will be working with people. Communication does not only mean relaying what you want to express through words, but through your actions as well. Most, if not all jobs require effective social skills to interact efficiently with their colleagues, clients, suppliers, and senior management.

Working within teams needs competent social communications that can maximize productivity and resolve issues.

Knowing when to engage in interactions that is either casual or professional with colleagues and clients, because senior management want their leaders and employees to have good relationships with everyone.

Organization Skills

Being organized leads to being efficient and transparent. Organized documents, efficient schedule management, coordinating resources, and effective task designation. When you follow an organization, it is easier for not only senior management, but for the team you lead to know and understand how you work. Being organized can mean from how well you arrange your desk and files, how you send reports at a certain period of time, and how often you have team meetings to update on everyone’s progress. As one of the top 3 leadership skills desired, companies need leaders who can stay focused on projects and remain organized until it is completed. One of the most important organization skills is to meet deadlines. Using time wisely makes all the difference between success and failure of your company.

Top 3 Leadership Skills includes Motivations

Senior management needs people who can identify problems and solve them. Critical thinking helps in seeing beyond the information presented all the time. Analyzing allows you to think up of new angles on how to approach a problem. There may be better ways to solve this particular problem that hadn’t been tried yet previously. Problem solving helps us make decisions amidst challenges. Whether problems are big or small, you have to analyze it in different angles and solve problems as quickly as possible.  This why motivations is one of the top 3 leadership skills desired.

Motivations

Motivation skills are important when you are interacting with colleagues and clients. People do better when they love what they are doing. When you are motivated, you find it easier to get up during the morning and look forward your day in the office. The compensation, including options and/or equity, can motivate you, but senior management and investors / stakeholder want to hire leaders that can contribute to their organization’s goals and success. Motivation can help you cope with stress and handle problems in the workplace well and is ideal in succession planning.

Leadership traits are defined by what we do, not the role we are in. Leadership is action, not a position. Some people in leadership roles are excellent leaders. But too many are bosses, “snoopervisors,” technocrats, bureaucrats, managers, commanders, chiefs, and the like. Whether in enterprise mobility, manufacturing, or consumer devices, strong leaders are well-rounded and constantly expanding their personal leadership traits across these key areas.

Leadership Traits in Functional Management Roles

To lead is to show the way by going in advance. To lead is to guide or direct a course of action. To lead is to influence the behavior or opinion of others. We all need to be leaders, regardless of our formal title or role.

This starts with inner leadership traits in self-leadership and moves outward to influence, guide, support, and lead others.The process of becoming a leader is the same as the process of becoming a highly effective human being. Leadership development is personal development.

Effective leadership traits ultimately shows itself in what we do “out there.” But it starts “in here.”It would be easy if we could all become leaders by following a simple set of steps.

But the journey of personal growth means finding our own way. There are, however, critical areas of personal development based on timeless principles. The distance we need to grow along each of the leadership traits dimensions will differ for each of us, but defining and continually growing along each of these paths is the way of the leader.

Expanding Key Personal Leadership Traits

Strong leaders are well-rounded and constantly expanding their personal leadership traits across many areas, however these areas are key:

• Choose Not to Lose. Whether we choose to focus on our problems or our possibilities is a key leadership issue. When we are faced with obstacles and failure, those with the leadership traits who can overcome adversity and learn from their experiences, turning them into opportunities, are the ones who will be truly successful.
• Focus and Context. The core of my being: This is central to our growth along all the other leadership traits dimensions. Our Focus and Context is shaped by three vital questions: Where am I going? (my vision); What do I believe in? (my principles and values) and; Why do I exist? (my purpose or mission).
• Responsibility for Choices. If it’s to be, it’s up to me: Good leadership traits means accepting responsibility for our choices in life. Leaders realize that life accumulates, that choice more than chance determines their circumstances. They refuse to succumb to the “Victimitus Virus” (“it’s all their fault” and “there’s nothing I can do”).
• Authenticity. Getting real: Leadership isn’t just what we do, it’s something that we are, which then drives what we do.  Great leadership traits are authentic, and based on honesty, integrity, and trust. We must ring true to ourselves by exploring our inner space, gathering feedback on our personal behavior, and ensuring consistency with our stated values and principles.
• Passion and Commitment. Beyond near-life experiences: Successful people are energized by a love for what they do because it brings them ever closer to who they are. They have the leadership traits that overcome apathy and cynicism, develop a burning commitment to their cause, and with discipline achieve their dreams and desires.
• Spirit and Meaning. With all my heart and soul: What is the purpose of our work? Of our lives? Material success alone is not enough. Leaders seek within their leadership traits and find something more. In what is too often a mad dash from cradle to grave, we need to take time in work and life to nourish our inner selves.
• Growing and Developing. From phase of life to way of life: The popular goals of security, stability, and predictability are deadly. The closer we get to these dangerous goals, the more our growth is stunted. Good leadership traits will reflect true and lasting security comes from constant growth and development, based on regular reflection and renewal.
• Mobilizing and Energizing. Putting emotions in motion: Leaders don’t motivate with rewards and punishments. Whether at home or in the workplace, they energize people to motivate themselves. Highly effective leaders who possess ethical leadership traits boost the energy of others with their passion and appreciation. They engage people’s hearts as well as their minds.

Effective Leadership Traits Make a Difference

The more the world changes, the more leadership principles stay the same. And effective leadership traits apply to all of us; no matter what role we play in society or organizations.  NextGen Global Executive Search uses a proprietary Performance Based Retained Search to recruit exceptional executives with good leadership traits. Contact us today for a free consultation or demo of our proven executive recruitment process.

Successful businesses are identified by their fundamental leadership training as they go hand in hand. Such executive managers are individuals who have been properly vetted, trained, and placed in positions where they can thrive. But getting there requires following a carefully crafted plan to ensure each leader’s success. By adhering to fundamental leadership training, companies can avoid mistakes and the consequences of the same. Appoint a mentor. Assign each new leadership a mentor, preferably a seasoned senior executive who can offer moral support, answer questions, and discuss solutions to problems.

Monitor and provide feedback. An initial key in fundamental leadership training is that every new leadership hire enters a learning curve and works toward a goal of becoming an independent leader.  Your company must outline concrete steps to help each individual reach expected goals or thresholds along the way. Monitor the new senior management hire’s progress and provide feedback as needed. Take corrective action when necessary.

Supply supplemental training courses. Courses including elevating decision making, best leadership ethics, problem-solving methodology, entrepreneurial leadership, and customer experience are just a few options available.    Review executive evaluation procedures.

Good Onboarding is Fundamental Leadership Training

While HR policies work for most employees, the executive evaluation process is unique in that it measures the impact on the company’s essential point.  Many companies make the fatal mistake of using a one-size-fits-all onboarding process driven by Human Resources which is really nothing more than an abridged orientation.

Onboarding must be customized for each new leadership hire.  Articulate management systems. Besides understanding HR policies, equip new leaders with the tools necessary to conduct performance reviews, and manage discipline issues. Understand work styles. No two leaders are alike, with unique personalities and work styles evident.

Make allowance for differences, while also helping trainees identify their strengths and weaknesses. Use this information to form management teams where different levels of managers complement each other. Solve problems before they spiral out of control. Conflict is a human element, although most people do not acknowledge it, choosing to avoid the same. Fundamental leadership training includes conflict resolution strategies in place and enable all senior managers to take their problems to the top.

Ensuring Success with Fundamental Leadership Training

A carefully implemented and executed management training program is your business’ assurance that the people you appoint are the best ones suited for the position. Anything less and employee morale, customer satisfaction, and business profitability will suffer, leading to high turnover costs and potential harm to your enterprise.