What’s the latest regarding leadership? What should you be doing according to the latest research trends?

You might have got your MBA or other significant Business or Leadership related qualification, but has it really changed the way you do things? Have you found it’s just too difficult to change what you’ve always done, or feel like doing, even when you KNOW what you’re doing doesn’t work? Now you want to know why, and what you might be able to do about it – without getting too complex. Right?

I believe that there are special qualities about everyone, but for most people – leaders included – the individual may be the last person to understand and appreciate those qualities themselves. I see it all the time.
The good news is that you don’t have to do psycho-analysis – “have your head read”! – to find out! I often find myself saying to clients, “WHY you are how you are is between you and your shrink, or your best mates over a few bottles of red wine! WHAT you are like is vital for you to understand, and to ensure those who work for you understand in key aspects…”

Keeping it simple yet profound is the ideal process to enable you to bring all your great qualities to your Leadership role, and to enable you to be who you really are at work within reason – or as famous management researchers Goffee and Jones said, “Be yourself – more – with skill”.

This is particularly important in Family companies, where the role of Leader is often thrust upon a person, or people – daughters and sons for example – without them feeling they had much say in the matter. And the “family dynamics” of their place in the family, how they are perceived (or more accurately, always were since childhood) by other family members, and pre-conceptions about expectations from them in whatever functions they undertake in life… For some, it’s not that easy to “be yourself”…

I also highlight that “Role is everything”. Almost everywhere I have been since starting Duet Consulting 22 years ago, in the many Family businesses I have served, there has been a lack of role clarity at CEO / owner level and in many positions below – in fact, some 25% of the 6,000+ people I have profiled in my coaching/ consulting career suffered a lack of role clarity. It’s debilitating for the person, and obviously therefore for the company they work for! Yet it’s an “overnight fix” when you work through the right process.

It really is “lonely at the top” for most leaders I meet..

So, if you are heading up a Family business and wish to start to enjoy yourself, and at the same time to be far more effective as a Leader, there are simple, supportive, proven processes available to you to make the most of every day – for the business, your Family, and for yourself.

This article has been supplied by Russell Newman, Managing Director of Duet Consulting Pty Ltd and is designed to be general in nature.

 If you have any questions or are looking for approaches for successful leadership in your family business Russell is happy to speak with you.

Russell Newman
Duet Consulting Pty Ltd
0419 156 603