Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jnr, Mahatma Gandhi, Angela Merkel.
All are great leaders, and while none of us would have ever worked for them, we know they are recognised for having inspired people and led their communities to greatness.
We all need a little inspiration most days, whether it is turning up to work under an employer who fails to inspire you, or needing a bit of a boost among colleagues.
No-one wants to turn up when their leader takes no interest in their employees, treats them poorly, fails to set an example, and fails to help them establish workplace or career goals.
All workers want to feel secure in their roles and confident in their work, but poor leadership can affect staff morale, lead to the onset of depression, impact productivity, increase turnover, result in repeated sick leave when people are not ill, and affect a company’s bottom line.
US-based Gallup pollsters recently estimated the loss of productivity relating to absenteeism, illness and low-morale issues cost the US economy $350 billion annually. While those figures would be much lower in Australia, the economy suffers when people take time off simply because work is stressful, they are becoming run down and their mental health is suffering.
A great leader can turn work environments around. Great managers keep workplaces moving, but they are rarely the people who set a vision for an organisation, keep staff enthusiastic or inspire success at all levels.
We have all worked with people who are moody or self-obsessed, or the angry boss that leaves you fearful of doing the wrong thing.
Many of us have also known lazy leaders, those who have somehow made it to the top despite being cast from the mould of The Office’s David Brent or Michael Scott — politically incorrect, a little bit slack, and more interested in football tips and lunchtime basketball than productivity.
Then there’s the ruthless, selfish, vain leader, brimming with narcisim and an inflated sense of self-worth, who simply see staff as a number.
Hopefully readers have also worked with leaders who understand flexibility, value staff, joke when warranted, who can work through problems, and rate teamwork above personal glory.
Much of that can be attributed to emotional intelligence, with most great leaders understanding how people are guided by their emotions.
The greatest leaders have proven to be mentally strong, rarely lose their temper, listen to their business community and are self-aware.
Business SA offers leadership courses. All businesses should be taking time to understand how their own leaders operate, and learn if they are boosting operations or hindering them.
Few people understand emotional intelligence and its impact on their entire organisation. There’s nothing wrong with a healthy reality check.
Are you looking to improve your leadership? Leadership can encompass the day-to-day tasks of managing staff, understanding team strengths and weaknesses, conducting performance appraisals and helping shape organisational culture. Business SA can help you understand your own leadership style, learn how to communicate effectively, and lead by example.
Business SA will be introducing a range of new leadership, management and workplace relations courses in 2020 so watch this space.
Jenny Briggs is Executive Director Employer Solutions and Programs at Business SA.