Features

Published February 2010

Trust Me: Credible Leadership Delivers Results

Douglas J. Matthews

There has likely never been a time when leaders are under so much scrutiny to behave credibly and ethically. The volume and type of change occurring today has created a seemingly unstable and stressful work environment. Consider the far-reaching impact of the global financial crisis, resulting in organizational cutbacks, restructurings, mergers, alliances, bailouts and even bankruptcy.

It’s up to leaders to guide employees through these times in ways that inspire optimum levels of worker productivity, performance and commitment. And to do this, it takes credible leadership. Credible leaders are trustworthy, competent, dynamic, inspiring and accountable. It’s not enough to have one or a couple of these attributes — which is how most of us have historically defined a great leader. Today, a credible leader needs to hold all of these attributes, while being proficient and competent to execute strategically.

It is leaders’ responsibility to build a workforce that is highly engaged and performing at maximum levels of contribution. Effective leadership impacts essential business metrics. As a critical component of a talent management strategy, investing in the development of credible leaders can drive:

Improved engagement.
Increased workforce productivity.
Better business performance.
Improved morale.
Optimum retention.
Stronger ability to attract top talent.
Increased levels of customer satisfaction.
Innovation and creativity.

Bottom-line business results depend on bringing leaders to the peak of their potential with maximum efficiency. Effective leaders positively impact employee retention and engagement. Capable leaders positively impact productivity and performance. Credible leaders do both while also demonstrating respect for worker contribution — the top leadership factor promoting employee engagement.

Leadership’s Influence on Employee Engagement

Engagement encompasses more than traditional notions of job satisfaction. It consists of an active commitment to doing the job well and helping the organization achieve goals and implement strategies. Engaged employees take pride in their organization and work; take ownership of their projects; talk positively about themselves, their employer and the goods and services they help deliver; view working for their organization as a career, not just a job; and, above all, perform better. A growing body of evidence is emerging to show that engagement is one of the essential levers of individual and organizational productivity and success.

However, in many organizations, the levels of employee engagement have reached crisis lows. Global research from Right Management indicates that only 34 percent of employees in organizations employing more than 50 people identify themselves as fully engaged, while 50 percent identify themselves as completely disengaged. Nine percent indicate they are engaged by their organization but not by their job, and 7 percent indicate they are engaged by their job but not by their organization. The former group, sometimes called bench warmers, is happy to cheer from the sidelines but reluctant to play a strong role in achieving collective success. The latter group, sometimes referred to as free agents, is happy to make a strong contribution but feels no particular loyalty to the organization and may leave at any time.

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