A few years ago, I worked with a finance company that had recently experienced a change in CEO.
The previous one, the wife, had passed away and her husband had taken over the position to continue her legacy and pass it on to their children.
Quickly, he took “control” of the whole company, employees included of course. The only catch was that he didn’t know much about the tricky finance world.
As he did not understand the field, he could not optimally contribute to strategic decisions or even support his employees in tough situations.
Keeping the purpose to be still an effective CEO, he exercised control over the employees and meticulously supervised their work. Over time, the situation turned sour, as employees could not see his added value and began to disrespect him as CEO. They still acknowledged his control since he owned the company, but did not see him as a leader.
Control, knowledge, and respect from their employees and peers are the fundamentals for a leader. Without any of these elements, leadership will not be as effective.
- Control is a leader’s ability to manage their team and ensure that deliverables are met.
- Knowledge is the leader’s understanding of their field and the work that their employees do on a daily basis.
- Respect is the final element a leader needs to be successful, gained from building a community with your employees.
A true leader does not need to exercise control. It is derived from their know-how and their ability to empower their employees, which in turn generates respect.
What qualities do you think are important for a leader to have?
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