Archive for the ‘Leadership Skills’ Category
When motivators become de-motivators
Imagine that your team has done well at something. You want to praise and thank them, so you decide to do something a little different.
One case in mind was when a manager decided to make a special effort of thanking his team by buying cream cakes to have during the Friday afternoon team meeting. He showered them with praise and the effect was obvious to see.
The next time he found an excuse to praise his team, he was so pleased with the previous experiment that he did it again. Then he decided that this was having such a positive effect that he would make the cream cake treat a regular Friday thing – “We’ve all had a good week and worked hard so let’s treat ourselves” became the message.
The team had started to get used to these Friday afternoon delicacies. They enjoyed the high spirits, the praise and now the cream cakes weren’t seen so much as a treat but as something which was to be expected.
A truly great leader
To my mind one of the most inspirational leaders in the news today is Ross Brawn owner of the Formula 1 racing team Brawn GP.
His career glitters. He was inspirational at Benetton where he helped Michael Schumacher to win two world titles and then he moved to Ferrari where he helped them to regain past glories as well as working with Schumacher to win further titles.
However, his true leadership showed when at the end of 2008 Honda F1, the team he was working for, decided to leave F1. Brawn was left with no funding and a lot of people about to be made redundant. He took the initiative and by March 2009 had established Brawn F1, saving lots of jobs despite putting his own money on the line.
The rest is history. He announced that there would be no team orders and that both drivers, Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello would be given equal status and equal support. Brawn F1 started winning races immediately and the team spirit was enhanced when people other than team principle Ross Brawn were invited to collect the constructers winning cup at the end of each successful race.
Yesterday Jenson Button won the F1 World Drivers Championship and Brawn F1 won the Constructers Championship.
Apart from thanking his team Ross Brawn also thanked those he was not able to save from redundancy at the end of last year.
“I also want to thank everyone who has worked with the team over the years that couldn’t be with us this season as we had to re-size at the start of it.” He added: “My sincere thanks go out to them because they worked so hard and should feel a part of our success.”
Ross Brawn has demonstrated all the key features of a great leader. He empowers his people, he shares out the glories but accepts the blame when things go wrong, he is fair and honest and he doesn’t forget anyone, even those he had to leave behind.