2. Increase your impact in People Leadership: Inspiring and Developing for Success

This is the second blog post in a series of five posts on Leadership Principles in the finance sector. After providing some background on the „why“ of the need for a new leadership model at a stock exchange and financial services provider, we focused on Lead Yourself and now moved on to Lead Your People.

Why people leadership matters

In today’s dynamic and complex business environment, effective people leadership is essential to driving success and achieving competitive advantage. It encompasses two critical components: leading others and developing talent. By mastering these elements, leaders can provide vision, inspire action and foster the growth and development of their teams.

What is people leadership?

People leadership is the art of leading and influencing others towards a shared vision and goals. It involves inspiring people to follow, embracing diversity and assuming positive intent. Leaders who excel at people leadership have a set of key behaviours and skills that enable them to create an environment that fosters growth, collaboration and innovation.

Leading others: Provide vision and direction

Successful people leaders have the ability to provide a compelling vision and direction that motivates and engages their teams. They inspire action, persuade others to get behind their ideas and influence relevant stakeholders. Key behaviours that demonstrate this ability include:

• Visionary and inspires action: People leaders have a clear vision for the future and inspire others to work towards it. Their ability to articulate and communicate this vision motivates their teams to go above and beyond, driving organisational success.
• Convincing others and influencing stakeholders: Exceptional people leaders have the ability to persuade and influence others. They build consensus, gain buy-in and support for initiatives, ensuring alignment and commitment across the organisation.
• Leverages diversity and integrates diverse perspectives: People leaders understand the value of diversity and actively seek out different perspectives. By fostering an inclusive environment, they harness the collective intelligence of their teams and make better-informed decisions.Assumes positive intent and is supportive: Effective people leaders approach interactions with a positive attitude, assuming the best intentions of others. They provide support, guidance and encouragement, creating a culture of trust, collaboration and high performance.

Build talent: Growing and Guiding your teams

In addition to leading others, people leaders focus on building talent within their teams. They invest in people’s development, encourage continuous learning and create opportunities for growth. Key behaviours that reflect this capability include

1. Invests in people’s development and careers: People leaders recognise the importance of developing the skills and abilities of their team members. They provide resources, support and guidance to help individuals reach their full potential and achieve their career goals.
2. Fosters continuous learning: Outstanding people leaders create a culture of learning within their teams. They encourage curiosity, provide access to training and development opportunities, and promote continuous improvement.
3. Provides space and opportunities for growth: People leaders create an environment where individuals have the space and autonomy to grow. They delegate responsibility, assign challenging projects and provide opportunities for new experiences that stretch and develop their team members.

In the business context: Inspiring and developing for success

In the People Leadership domain, leaders demonstrate their skills in a variety of business contexts:

1. Inspiring the environment for new projects/ideas: Effective people leaders have a positive presence in meetings and town halls. They inspire and engage others by sharing exciting projects and ideas, creating enthusiasm and a sense of common purpose.
2. Demonstrate a high level of empathy: People leaders demonstrate a strong sense of empathy, putting themselves in the shoes of their team members. They proactively address needs and fears, creating a supportive environment in which individuals can thrive.
3. Actively considers the advantages and disadvantages of diversity: Exceptional people leaders actively consider the benefits of diversity, including different perspectives and backgrounds in team composition. They create an inclusive environment where all voices are heard and valued.
4. Respected and honest role model: People leaders lead by example and act as respected and honest role models for their teams. They embody the values and behaviours they expect from others, demonstrating integrity, transparency and ethical conduct.

Build talent: Investing in growth and development

To build talent for competitive advantage, people leaders demonstrate specific behaviours and actions that support individual growth and development. These include:

1. Supporting consistent on-the-job development: People leaders delegate responsibility and provide opportunities for team members to take on challenging projects, such as project management roles. By providing real-world experience, they enable individuals to develop new skills and enhance their capabilities.
2. Encourage transparent and ongoing dialogue: Outstanding people leaders prioritise open and honest communication with their people. They engage in regular and constructive dialogue, sharing their own experiences and perspectives while actively listening to their team members. This fosters mutual understanding and facilitates personal and professional growth.
3. Actively support internal mobility: People leaders recognise the importance of internal mobility and actively support people’s career development within the organisation. They provide opportunities for individuals to take on new and different roles, consciously taking calculated risks to nurture talent and encourage growth.

People leadership is a critical skill for leaders who want to drive success and foster a culture of growth and innovation. By leading others with vision, inspiring action and leveraging diversity, leaders create an environment that fosters collaboration, engagement and high performance. At the same time, by investing in the development and growth of individual talent, leaders cultivate a workforce that continuously learns, adapts and drives competitive advantage. Embrace the power of people leadership and unlock the full potential of your team and organisation.

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