In the first few weeks of the year, the old clichés about gym memberships and weight loss have their origins rooted in reality. Shoving the Baileys to the back of the cupboard, where it’ll sit gathering dust for the next 11 months, the nation collectively vows that 2017 will be a year of fresh perspectives and sustained fitness plans – a year of positive, all-encompassing change.
Reflecting on accomplishments and shortcomings, and which parts of our physical selves we’d most like to tweak and streamline, it’s not unlikely that we’re also reflecting on the world of work and how we’re doing as managers, leaders and possible mentors. What does your team really think of you? Are you a galvanising managerial force or something of a contrarian? And in your pursuit of legendary status, is your team on track to achieve what needs to be achieved in the months and years ahead?
Hall of fame
The beauty of hindsight is that it gives us warm and fuzzy perspectives on old colleagues. “My best ever manager was the living embodiment of the culture of the organisation I was working for,” says Gareth Evans, head of sales and marketing at Cogent Elliott. “A hands-on CEO, he was wholly invested in building a deep understanding of commercial structures, imperatives and the ambitions of our clients, and developed strong relationships with them as a result. He inspired me, though, because despite all this he always had time to answer the switchboard if no one was about, greet visitors at the front door and make coffee for meetings.”
This has to be at the heart of great leadership: the willingness to muck in and dismantle unnecessary hierarchies. But can you be both a manager and a leader at the same time? Gareth thinks so. “The trick lies in how these two things coexist. My former CEO focused on building and empowering a strong leadership team around him. By doing so he could confidently leave the ongoing business of management to them: he was an effective leader because his leadership was never contaminated by the minutiae of management – and the day-to-day management was always aligned with the broader vision.”
A management masterclass
For Russ Powell, marketing manager at Atos, a great leader from his past identified herself before he’d even been offered the role. “I’d had an interview for a marketing position and at the end of the interview my potential new boss said: ‘I’ll let you know by midday on Friday if you’ve got the job or not.’
“It got to 12.30 on Friday and I hadn’t heard from her, so decided to give her a ring. Unbeknownst to me she wasn’t able to pick between myself and another candidate so was waiting to see who’d ring her first. From that moment on I knew I was onto a good thing – working for someone who had a different way of looking at things and valued both tenacity and drive.”
Senior figures in the workplace tend to have seen it all (or, most of it) and got the t-shirt, so hungry marketers like Russ and Gareth know they can learn a lot under their leadership. “I learnt that you need to understand more than just the features and benefits of what you’re selling,” says Gareth. “You need to know how your business operates, its commercial models, key clients and our relationships with them – and much more. My boss did this by spending time with and showing a genuine interest in every single person in the company.”
The future of CPD
So apart from being a personable knowledge-sharer, a veritable fount of all things B2B, what traits do inspirational leaders share? “It’s about being encouraging without being pushy,” says Russ. “My former boss placed a lot of onus on self-reflection, and she was also really open. I now ensure that I’m always as open with my team as possible – it builds trust and respect quickly.”
And what about training requirements? Is there a link between great leadership and a particular approach to training? Both Gareth and Russ say they’d always opt for the varied approach, suggesting that the days of rigorous self-certification might be over. “Just jumping into the deep end and getting stuck in has been the best form of training for me at a junior and mid-level,” says Russ. “Certifications have their place but I think they’re something you add on further into your career. Personally, as somebody in the hiring position now, I’d rather employ a marketing executive with four years’ experience in a variety of roles than someone with two years in one company and a CIM certificate.”
Gareth’s former boss took a ‘pick and mix’ approach to training. “It was a mixture of formal training, industry events, on-the-job training and company initiatives – and I also had a clear and structured CPD programme. The feedback sometimes felt hard but was always fair and constructive, giving me clear direction on areas for improvement and a plan for training/resources to help me meet those requirements.”
The path to leadership enlightenment isn’t always a smooth one: prepare yourself for difficult conversations, challenging personalities and the unfailing pull of boardroom politics. But if you can swerve the banana skins and inspire loyalty, creativity and dedication in your marketing team, you’ll be earning your place in the leaders’ hall of fame in no time.