X

1.01

All managers are good leaders.
Not necessarily. Some management positions are less concerned with directing teams and more concerned with supporting other departments.

X

1.02

All leaders are good managers.
Not necessarily. Some inspirational leaders are very creative and dynamic but require the admin skills of a good manager to support their ‘genius’.

X

1.03

Effective leaders need to focus on the future.
Good leaders are always looking to the future. Their vision is not always recognised by others until a future date.

1.04

Good leaders have to be good public speakers.
Generally yes. People will not have much confidence in a leader who comes across badly when giving presentations etc

1.05

The best leaders do not ask their staff to do anything they are not prepared to do themselves.
No. A good leader recognises their own capabilities and focuses on them i.e. providing clear vision and direction. Good leaders delegate tasks to other capable team members. You do not have to be a master of everything to be a good leader. You shoul, however be aware of the needs of your staff.

X

1.06

An effective leader always makes autonomous decisions.
Not always. Good leaders listen to others and are not afraid to have other people involved in making decisions. Final tough decisions do, however, need to be made.

X

1.07

Good leaders try to keep everyone happy.
Yes and no. Yes, win-win situations are desirable. But, a good leader will recognise that it is impossible to please everybody all of the time and that unpopular decisions sometimes need to be made. That does not mean you should be insensitive to other people’s situations.

X

1.08

True leaders do not care about other people’s opinions.
No. Good leaders will, always be prepared to listen. They may not agree and may make their own decisions, but they will consider other viewpoints.

X

2.01

Something of no real value; meaningless

empty gesture

2.02

Has the opposite effect to what is intended

counter-productive

2.03

To give authority, responsibilities or power to someone else.

delegate

2.04

The practice of colleagues sharing a workspace i.e. a communal work desk.

hotdesking

2.05

The date or time before which a task must be finished

deadline

Comment 4.01

Setting values

“She defines what the company’s philosophy is, seems to believe passionately in it and encourages all staff to see how we can contribute positively towards it.”

Comment 4.02

Identifying members' strengths

“I like that he encourages me to use my experience and talents. He seems to understand what I have to offer.”

Comment 4.03

Delegation

“Some people find it quite difficult to let others take on responsibility. Often they prefer to keep the work to themselves and then find they are overworked and over-stressed. It’s important to share the workload.”

Comment 4.04

Flexibility of approach

“You need someone who can take control when the occasion demands it, but who is also capable of adapting their style to suit different situations.”

Comment 4.05

Represent the team

“He’s great! He always stands up for the team and knows how to present our views to other departments and to external clients.”

Comment 4.06

Develops team members

“I lacked confidence when I first joined the company, but she was very patient, encouraged me to look at ways of developing my skills and was supportive when I wanted to do further training. She’s been a great help.”

Comment 4.07

Feedback

“I think it’s important to know how well you are doing, you know. Some bosses only let you know when you’ve messed something up, but you need to be told about the good stuff you’re doing as well.”

Comment 4.08

Is available

“I try to make sure everyone in the team feels they can come and speak to me whenever they need to. There’s nothing worse than an absentee leader.”

Comment 4.09

Provide a model

“He leads from the front. You know, shows you the way.”

Comment 4.10

Clarifying objectives

“I think the success of the project was due to how clearly she set out what it was that we wanted to achieve. You need to know exactly what you’re aiming for from the beginning.”