Workplace productivity driver 1 - Effective leadership

Effective leadership is about having a clear vision about your business and where it is heading.

Leadership needs to be developed among the whole team and with individuals at all levels of the business. Good leaders adapt well to change, are effective motivators of people, invest in training and development and constantly seek to improve productivity.

It is about giving opportunity for staff to use their skills and knowledge and leading by example.

Building leadership and management includes:

Encouraging leadership at every level of the business
Leading by example and creating a positive and productive work environment
Making sure staff have the skills and resources to improve their learning and go on learning
Investing in management development and training
Supporting innovative thinking and making use of new ideas

Good leadership in a business will create an environment of shared knowledge where people are strengthened in their work performance through a culture of trust and cooperation. There are four key characteristics people admire in leaders.

They are:

Honesty: 90% of people value honesty in a leader above all other behaviours. People want to consistently see honesty in their leader's behaviour.
Forward-looking: People expect leaders to have a sense of direction with clarity and purpose. A long-term vision of the future is part of being forward-looking.
Inspiring: A leader needs to communicate their vision and be energetic and positive about the future.
Competent: Leaders need to be competent in the technical aspects of their business, but still have the ability to challenge the norm of the way things are done.

Leaders must also "walk the talk". This means they must always be prepared to be fully committed to and involved in whatever the organisation is working towards.

To be an effective leader there are five practices of leadership you can implement. These are:

Challenging processes: Leaders search for opportunities to change, grow and improve upon the way things are usually done.
"We are always looking to create opportunities for our staff in the business."
"If you are having employee problems, look first at yourself and your farming operation."
Inspiring a shared vision: Leaders visualise a positive future and enlist the efforts of others to achieve the future vision by appealing to their values, interests, hopes and dreams.
"It's about good communication and making people responsible."
"We focus on peoples' hearts and minds, and compliance will come."
Enabling others to act: Leaders foster cooperation in their team by building an environment of trust and they strengthen others by sharing information and power.
"We encourage staff to set one business goal and two personal goals."
"Build the team and involve everyone in decision-making. Employees do feel that they contribute to success."
Modelling the way: Leaders set an example for others by behaving in a way that is consistent with their stated values.
"Effective delegation allows people to take more responsibility and more people can have 'buy-in' and ownership of the process."
"Leading by example is an essential factor."
Encouraging: Leaders recognise individual contributions and celebrate team accomplishments.