His position as the first Human Resource professional to obtain such a high rank in the Australian Defence Force is a true sign of where the ADF is headed, Air Commodore Rodgers says. And he points out this is also where most organizations need to be headed. That is: to focus on the people.
Speaking this week at the 2014 Women, Management and Work conference in Sydney, Air Commodore Rodgers says he believes in authentic leadership — being yourself because you can’t change who you are. Women are inherently good at this approach.
Using a military term, he promotes the ‘bottom line up front’ view: that organizations need to accept they are systems enabled by leaders. “Organizations are human systems, enabled by leadership of a specific style motivated by meaning and intention,” he says.
Organizations need to motivate through genuine meaning and have their teams be committed to the cause and have the intention to take it forward, he says.
Teams get things done, leaders make teams. But what makes a leader?
Having a technological edge — that is, being qualified in a specific area —is no longer the answer. You are not automatically a leader because you are an ‘expert’ in a field. To have quality leadership and a competitive advantage over your competitors you need to look at the human systems, the people in your organization. Your organization needs to think faster than your enemy (competitor) and empower the people within your organization.
To do the above you require a successful leader.
Air Commodore Rodgers shared his fundamental list of a leader’s qualities:
- Is a professional master (leader) in your business or industry, which means being more than being technically masterful. You also need to be socially masterful too.
- Someone who can ‘bring people together’ to move forward in a high speed environment.
- Ensures everyone in the organization has a clear shared vision and intent for that organization to succeed.
- Motivates the team towards that goal at all times. This team needs to be committed. Have a vested interest.
- Empowers their team to make the best decisions to the organization.
- Recognises their team’s work and related to them as human beings. They need to be emotionally bound to outcomes.
A successful leader will have staff who are committed to staying because they like what they do and who they are doing it with.
This is why women are ideal for leadership roles. It is smart for organizational survival and capability that women are a part of the leadership team. Rodgers encouraged women to ignite leadership and use their powers.
Does your organization rely on technical based leaders or are you focusing on the people?
