STEER YOUR SHIP IN 2022. BY NICKI ROWLAND Leave a comment

In Nicki’s introductory article, she discussed adopting an ‘executive mindset’ as a leader to be able to take the helm and steer your ship into safer waters in 2022.
In her series of monthly articles this year, she will be delving into the value of great leadership and its crucial role in driving business development in any dental laboratory, large or small. In this first publication, Nicki explores what makes an executive effective and how to captain your ship and crew for optimum performance

All Shapes and Sizes

Week in, week out, I work with leaders in the dental world and they come in all shapes and sizes. Some are charismatic, others are quite introverted. Some are relaxed, other are controlling. Some are generous, others are frugal. Whatever, their personality traits are, they have one thing in common; they are effective and embrace 8 essential courses of action:

1. They identify what needs to be done to achieve success
2. They explore the best methods of working for their business and their team
3. They develop action plans and set specific objectives
4. They lead decision making
5. They are accountable for accountability
6. They are always optimistic even in the face of adversity
7. They generate open and honest communication
8. They recognise that there is no ‘I’ in ‘team’. It is always ‘we’

The first two courses of action help leaders understand which direction to steer their ship and which destination they want to reach. The next four help them to set their GPS or navigation system to get them from A to B. The final two practices ensure that their crew are fully on board.

Ask ‘What do we need to do?’

Any leader needs to ask themselves, ‘What do we need to do?’ rather than ‘What do I want to do?’ It is critical to success to establish the difference. When I set up our dental practice, I know that I wanted to have an award-winning business. However, when I drilled down into what we needed to do, I realised that we needed to agree and implement business and personal objectives to guide us to our aspired goal. Much like getting into your ship as a captain, you know that your ultimate destination is Barbados but you need to anchor up at numerous ports along the way to refuel and check your bearings.

Nurture a Collaborative Crew

Setting business objectives should be a shared responsibility as a team. I have seen many a leader fall foul of making decisions that they impose on their teams. When their plan goes wrong, the team turn round and point the finger at the decision maker. If you work together for the greater good and brainstorm what you need to do, it is very empowering. If everything goes to plan, the rewards can be shared and you can celebrate together. If the voyage turns out to be rough, then you can pull together, change course and sail into smoother waters collaboratively. Everyone is then accountable for the outcome.

There are many benefits to working as a tight-knit team. Generally speaking, when there is a diversity of skill sets in the mix, it collectively increases overall competence and experience. Problems are then more easily resolved in a creative manner because team members cover each other’s ‘blind spots’. Individuals also have a tremendous opportunity to learn from one another.

Be Open and Candid

Openness, transparency and a willingness to be candid are key leadership qualities. Leaders do not have to be ‘the Oracle’ and have all the answers. Looking to your team to problem-solve and be innovative will help your business to thrive. Working together generates cohesion and trust and ultimately drives commitment and achieves greater results.

As human beings, we all need to feel appreciated, understood and valued at work. This is integral to a healthy, open culture. If one of your team feels that they are unappreciated or that their opinions do not matter, they are more likely to leave the business. Listening is more important in the workplace than ever before and there are huge benefits from doing so:-

• It builds trust and respect – using listening skills shows the other person that you really care and that you are there to support them. It is like a sail in high winds; if the mast is strong, it has no reason to fear the turbulence.
• It encourages action – when team members feel supported, they will open the hatches, emerge from the safety of their cabins and it is ‘all hands on deck’.
• It generates understanding – empathetic listening allows you to read an individual and understand what they need to thrive. Many individuals ‘batten down the hatches’ when stressed or up against it but listening with empathy allows you to ‘stand in their shoes’ and see it from their point of view.
• It avoids miscommunication – using attentive listening skills reduces the chance of misunderstanding. Can you imagine what would happen on board a battleship if someone misheard the command ‘fire’?
• It boosts morale – It is so easy to assume what someone is thinking and feeling. However, if you go the extra mile and give people time and listen to them closely, they will feel calmed and motivated. I remember hearing someone say that the mind is like water. If it is agitated, it is hard to see things clearly. |However, if it is settled, the answers surface.

Be a ‘Futurist’

Planning and being a strategic thinker are about much more than simply setting business objectives. As we move into 2022, it is about looking to the future and crafting out the life you want for yourself. It is about finding your purpose and whether it is centred around creating wealth, a legacy or a great work life balance. Executive leaders who have a futuristic mindset have the following attributes:-

1. Laser-focus – they keep looking ahead with their eye on the horizon
2. Imagination – they visualise their future business and create what they see in their mind’s eye
3. Innovation – they are creative and ‘think outside the box’
4. A strategic mind – the ability to plan ahead, set goals and inspire their team to achieve them
5. Intelligent Risk-taking – the ability to take a ‘calculated’ risk for the greater good of the business and team
6. Skill in Communicating – the ability to translate their future vision into a tangible image in the minds of their team to turn it into reality
7. Resilience – the ability to stand firm and be determined to succeed against adversity

In summary, Futurists inspire, transform and change their industries. It is more important than ever for business owners and their management teams to be agile and adapt to our changed world. You have probably heard the word ‘pivot’ been bounded about recently and ultimately leaders need to ‘ready about’ and change course at any point.

A Word from Nicki

I hope you have enjoyed reading my article. There is much more to come this year in my monthly Executive Leadership series. I will be exploring everything from nurturing an amazing culture in your laboratory through to driving business growth. If you would  like any support with anything I touch on, feel free to contact me at nicki@ela.team