Z. Poe Doyle/ reporter
Getting a promotion may bring authority, a NE Campus audience was told Oct. 25, but it doesn’t always result in competence. That takes knowledge, not only of what the job is but also of how to motivate people to perform it.
“Being good at what you do or being promoted to a position of authority does not make a person a good leader,” Andrew Hollinger said during his Elements of Successful Leadership workshop.
Hollinger, a NE history instructor, said many are thrust into positions of power with little understanding of what it takes to succeed.
Drawing on his own experience, Hollinger described his time in the military and his time in a position of authority at IBM as examples of when a strong leader, one with a backbone based on the wisdom to know the proper course, is required.
“You must be knowledgeable, not necessarily an expert, but you have to be good and competent,” he said. “You can’t exactly lead in every area, but understand what you’re good at and do that.”
He also said that good leadership requires authority to be passed only to those who can take on greater responsibility.
“Responsibility, in the person that leads, will get them the authority required to do the job,” he said. “Good leaders lead by example. They inspire others and empower them.”
Inspiration is a trait leaders should always show to others, Hollinger said.
“If you show boredom to a team, it will be like trying to herd cats,” he said.
Keeping the attention of any group requires knowing the goal, Hollinger said.
“Seeking a goal without planning means that you don’t know where to go,” he said. “When you plan, make sure you include all plan B’s and fudge factors that could crop up.”
There will be occasional difficulties, Hollinger said, but good leaders should “understand the problem, assess realistic alternatives that don’t rely on easy routes or the blaming of others, compare all the alternatives and then take other potential problems into account.”
Finally, Hollinger said, a good leader will not forget those that helped the team succeed, dividing rewards according to contributions and congratulating those who are deserving.
