Today there is too much focus on analytics, technology, and
software as the answers to management problems. Many experts will tell you that
systems dictate process rather than support process. Many experts will also
focus on managing things like process, equipment, inventory, space, data, and
information. But very few experts will tell you that without leadership
intertwined with reality, the improvement efforts of enabling technology,
information systems, process reengineering, and knowledge management are doomed
from the start.
In your Transportation and Logistics operations and your
workers’ eyes, your leadership is everything you do that affects operation
accomplishment and his/her well-being. If you want to be a respected leader,
concentrate on what you are (your beliefs and character), what you know (human
nature, process application, your job), and what you do (provide direction,
implement, and motivate).
LEADERSHIP FACTORS
The four major factors of leadership are The Follower, The Leader, Communication,
and The Situation. They each have a significant impact on what actions a
leader should take and when he/she should take them.
The Follower. The
first major factor of leadership is the follower. Different workers require
different styles of leadership. For example, a truck driver fresh from driver
training requires more direct supervision than an experienced driver. An
inventory analyst with a poor attitude requires a different approach than a
highly motivated one. A union shop warehouse with older, long term employees
requires different work incentives than a non-union, high turnover facility
with a mostly under 30 or “GEN Y” workforce. A purchaser with very little
industry or commodity expertise will need more coaching.
You must know your employees if you want to take the right
leadership actions at the right time. The fundamental starting point for
knowing your people is a clear understanding of human nature (needs, emotions,
motivation). You must understand the be, know, and do attributes of each one of
your people. The be is what he or she is - human nature, beliefs, values, and
character. The know is his or her knowledge based on experience, training and
expertise. The do is what he or she is capable of accomplishing through their
skill sets.
One of the keys to good leadership is to hire the right
people in the first place. How? It comes down to two factors: job competence
and values fit. You must know what job performance factors are key to being
successful in your environment, and hire for a values fit with the functional
team you already have. If the person doesn’t have both of these elements, do
not hire them under any circumstances.
Also, you need to remember that you are a follower as well
as a leader. You have to find ways of meeting the goals of your boss, other key
people, and yourself. To accomplish this, you must understand the different
levels of people, have good communication with each, and develop relationships
based on trust and respect.
The Leader. The
second major factor of leadership is you - the leader. You must have an honest
understanding of who you are, what you know, and what you can do. You must be
able to separate perception from reality. By way of example, good leaders show
clear thinking and coolness when under pressure. Do your perceptions of
yourself and your employees’ perceptions of you coincide within the reality of
high pressure situations? This understanding is necessary in order for you to
control and discipline yourself and your employees effectively. Remember that
leadership is:
- 10% technical direction
- 20% administration
- 30% employee guidance
- 40% employee motivation
Communication.
The third major factor of leadership is communication. You lead successfully
through effective two-way communication. Much of this is not verbal. You teach,
coach, counsel, persuade, and discipline through both verbal and non-verbal
communication.
The way you
communicate in different situations is important. Your choice of words,
tone of voice, physical gestures, and the look in your eye affect the way a
person feels about what you communicate. Leadership is more than just setting
the example. The right word or the right body language spoken quietly at the
right moment or an acknowledgement gesture after a difficult job is also an
important part of leadership!
What and how you communicate either builds or harms the
strength of your relationship between you and you employees. In a healthy
relationship between people, there are bonds of mutual trust, respect,
confidence, and understanding. These bonds form the basis of productivity and
cohesion in any supply chain or logistics operation. They are built over time
as your followers learn - from training, from experience, and from what you communicate
- that you are a competent leader whom they can trust and respect.
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