How to Be a Good Leader

How to Be a Good Leader

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6. Leaders probe and push, making sure their questions are answered with action.

 

When you are an individual contributor, you try to have all the answers. When you are a leader, your job is to have all the questions. You have to be comfortable looking like the dumbest person in the room. Every conversation you have about a decision, a proposal or a piece of market information has to be filled with you saying, “What if?” and “Why not?” and “How come?” Questioning, however, is never enough. You have to make sure your questions unleash¹ debate and raise issues that get action.

 

7. Leaders inspire risk taking and learning by setting the example.

 

These two concepts often get lip service — and little else. If you want your people to experiment, set the example yourself.

 

Consider risk taking. You don’t need to be somber² about your errors. In fact, the more lighthearted you can be, the more people will get the message that mistakes aren’t fatal.

 

As for learning — again, live it yourself. Whenever I learned about a best practice that I liked at another company, I would come back to GE and make a scene. I wanted people to know how enthusiastic I was about the new idea.

 

8. Leaders celebrate.

 

There is just not enough celebrating going on at work — anywhere. Companies win all the time and let it go without so much as a high-five. Work is too much a part of life not to recognize moments of achievement. Make a big deal out of them. If you don’t, no one will.

 

I am often asked if leaders are born or made. The answer, of course, is both. Some characteristics, like IQ and energy, seem to come with the package. On the other hand, you learn some leadership skills, like self-confidence, at your mother’s knee and at school. You learn other skills at work—trying something and gaining the self-confidence to do it again, only better.

 

Vocabulary Focus

unleash (v) [5Qn5li:F] to suddenly release and turn something loose, allowing it to have its full effect

make a scene (idiom) to make a public act of showing excited emotions, passion or temper

high-five (n) [5hai5faiv] a greeting or expression of celebration or admiration³ in which two people each raise a hand above the shoulder and bring the palms of their hands together with force

 

Specialized⁴ Terms

lip service (n) 口惠；光说不练 the act of saying one agrees with and supports an idea or plan, but not doing anything to help it succeed (often “to give/pay lip service”)

at one’s mother’s knee (idiom) 幼年受教于父母时 when one was very young, especially related to something one learns or hears

如何做个好领导

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6. 领导者探查情况、施压，务必使他们的问题得到行动的响应。

如果你单独工作，就会试着找到所有答案。而如果你是领导者，你的职责则是提出所有问题，即使你看起来像是房间里最笨的一个人，仍须觉得自在。你在每一个涉及决定、提案或一则市场消息的谈话时，都应不时提问：“如果……怎么办？”“有何不可？”及“为什么？”但是，问问题永远不够，你还须确定你的问题能引发辩论，并带出激发行动的议题。

 

7. 领导者以身作则，激励冒险和学习。

人们对这两个概念常是口惠——很少实至。如果你要属下勇于实验，就得先以身作则。

拿冒险来说，你得犯了错无须闷闷不乐。事实上，你愈轻松以对，人们就愈了解犯错没什么大不了。

至于学习——还是一样，以身作则。每当我在别家公司学到一个我喜欢的极好的做法时，就会回到通用电气大肆宣扬。我要大家知道我对那个新点子有多么热衷。

 

8. 领导者会庆功。

无论在哪家公司，职场上的庆功总是不够。公司老是在赢，所以对此寻常看待，连击掌庆贺都不做。工作是人生太重要的一环，因此我们绝不能对成功时刻视而不见。要对成功时刻小题大做，如果你不做，没人会做。

常有人问我领导者是天生或后天养成的，答案当然是两者兼有。有些特质，如智商和精力，似乎与生俱来。但另一方面，你会在幼年受教于父母时和求学时习得一些领导技巧，譬如自信。你也会从工作中习得其它技巧——尝试某事并获得自信再做一次，但能做得更好。

 

 

 

1 unleash   

vt.发泄，发出；解带子放开

参考例句：

• They hope to create allies to unleash against diseases,pests,and invasive species.他们希望创造出一些新群体来对付疾病、害虫和一些有侵害性的物种。
• Changing water levels now at times unleash a miasma of disease from exposed sewage.如今，大坝不时地改变水位，从暴露的污水释放出了疾病瘴气。

2 somber   

adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• He had a somber expression on his face.他面容忧郁。
• His coat was a somber brown.他的衣服是暗棕色的。

3 admiration   

n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕

参考例句：

• He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
• We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

4 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。