What do Leaders do?

It is true that much of the thinking about leadership lives in the land of concept and theory.  There is no escaping that the greatest impact a leader has on an organization is in the nebulous arena of culture.  With that being said, it is important to know that certain tasks are under the prevue of the leader and you may find it helpful to see a quick list that outline what exactly a leader does.

This list is not in any particular order, but all of them must be done.

1. Leaders attend critical meetings:  As a leader the primary thing that will show up on your calendar are meetings.  A couple of thoughts about meetings you should attend;
   1. You should lead very few meetings and must be cautious about dominating meetings
   2. Do not attend meetings that do not deal with issues that are at a critical level
   3. Be fully engaged in the meetings you attend
   4. The meetings should allow you to execute the others things you do
   5. Leaders cast the vision:   On a regular basis you will be painting a picture of what the business looks like when it is working well.  Never miss an opportunity to recalibrate your team on the vision.
   6. Leaders allocate resources:  The leader will determine priorities in a business and the most practical way that happens is through budgeting and spending.  Failure to understand budget reports, P & L statements and balance sheets will limit your effectiveness and credibility.
   7. Leaders make decisions:  Truman said, “the buck stops here.”  George Bush referenced himself as “the decider.”  There is no escaping the fact that one of the uncomfortable realities of the leaders job is that she/he will make the final decision.
   8. Leaders use words:  Never, ever forget that when you sit in the leader’s seat, people are hearing every word, they may not be listening, but they do hear.   Even your casual quips, jokes and comments have a greater impact simply because you are the leader.
   9. Leaders recruit and identify talent:  The effectiveness of every leader hinges on the talent they are surrounded by.  From internal promotions, to external recruiting, job talent development is as essential as allocating financial resources.

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