I regularly make the claim that too many professional services firms are over managed yet under led.
Also, that to be a great leader you also need the ability to coach.
This exercise should get you thinking. Who is leading the way in your firm? Motivating people to do BD is crucial to success.
To evaluate the practice leader or Managing Partner/CEO, please complete the following questions.
Indicate your agreement or disagreement using the following scale: 1=strongly disagree, 2=Somewhat disagree, 3= Neither agree or disagree, 4=Somewhat agree, 5+ Strongly Agree.
The Practice Leader…………..
Is more often encouraging than critical.
Is accessible when I want to talk.
Keeps me informed about what I am doing.
Is fair and uses effective communication in dealings with team members.
Causes me to stretch for performance goals.
Is concerned about long-term issues, not just short-term profits.
Conducts team meetings in a manner that breeds involvement.
Is consultative in his or her decision-making.
Is sufficiently involved with junior staff and their issues.
Provides constructive feedback that helps me improve my performance.
Is a source of creative ideas about our business.
Gives me the freedom to set my own goals.
Makes me feel that I am a member of a well functioning team.
Acts more like a coach than a boss.
Helps me understand how my tasks fit into the overall objectives of the business.
Keeps me informed about the things I need to know to perform my role properly.
Actively encourages me to volunteer new ideas and make suggestions for improvement of the practice.
Helps me to grow and develop.
Encourages me to initiate tasks and projects I think are important.
Is publicly generous with credit.
Is prompt in dealing with underperformers.
Is good at keeping down the level of politics and “politicking”.
Encourages innovation and calculated risk-taking.
Relates the total reward system of compensation, recognition etc to job performance, rather than such things as position or seniority.
Emphasises co-operation as opposed to competitiveness between workgroups and departments.
Many leaders are actually reluctant to play the role and take it because no one else has offered!
Others assume leadership as they historically have been the largest billers. That does not make them the best people to lead a team.
Never believe you know it all, as JFK said, leadership & learning are indispensable to each other.
This article was inspired by the questions originally seen in the 2002 book by Patrick J McKenna entitled ‘First Among Equals’.