Leadership
is both a challenge and a blessing. It is transformational in its core
essence. It is a unique opportunity to get a vision from abstract into
material, from generic to specific, from dreams to realities.
Over
the past years I have been in different IT leadership capacities, which
provided a rich context for continuous personal and career development for
peers, subordinates, supervisors as well as for myself.
Today,
I am writing about 10 Qualities of IT Leaders to illustrates
my reflections and lessons learned which might shed the light on critical
traits needed to succeed in such senior role.
1-
Patience
Leaders
understand that things take and need time, specially in a startup environment
where no structure exists. Time is a critical factor, sometimes a challenging
factor against a leader realizing a vision or a goal. Coping with delays and
obstacles makes the difference between a successful leader and otherwise.
2-
Creativity and innovation
Finding
creative and innovative ways to solve challenges, constraints and obstacles is
vital. Leaders face these daily, and applying innovative and creative tactics
to handle obstacles is a key differentiator of a high caliber leader.
3-
Understanding and caring
Having
a broader understanding of the motives, behaviors and rationales behind
stakeholders actions or reactions means a lot to the leader when it comes to
decision-making and reacting to sudden and prompt events. In this context,
emotionally intelligent leaders are the most successful leaders.
5-
Openness and transparency
Using
various communication channels be open and accessible with the team members and
stakeholders to break barriers and close the door against misunderstanding.
Transparency with the team will fortify relationships and minimize conflict.
6-
Sharing and involving
Getting
everyone involved enriches the sense of responsibility needed to keep tasks,
activities and projects moving with least follow-up and monitoring. Sharing
concerns and issues and seeking input and feedback is a very helpful technique
of building involvement. Keeping the team engaged through team building,
monitoring, follow up, and continuous guidance and coaching meetings and
workshops.
7-
Dedication and commitment
Passion
is all that is needed for a leader to be successful. Passionate leaders
allocate countless hours and abundance of effort. A passionate leader will be
there early before anyone in the team and will be there late after everyone
leaves. Commitment and dedication are contagious. This is a very good
leading-by-example lesson.
8-
Decentralization and empowerment
Leaders
doesn’t do things themselves; they get other to do them. Leaders develop
leaders through empowerment and decentralization, which enhances a sense of
commitment within the team and opens the door for team development and growth.
Decentralization is a true measure of successful leadership. A leader eager to
empower team members will definitely gain commitment in return.
9-
Contextual and resourceful
Know
your stakeholders and manage their expectations. Context aware leader
successfully manages stakeholders expectations. Among key stakeholders
are team members. Know the capacity of your team and make use of it, develop
it, nurture it, encourage extracurricular activities among your team. All this
transforms an ordinary leader into a resourceful leader.
10-
Skillful
To
succeed, leaders needs a punch of skill sets. Leaders should be highly
organized, with superior time management skills. Presentation and communication
skills is a game changer.
Last
but not least, the IT leader is a lifelong learner. I can’t
emphasis more the importance of this trait. Seeking knowledge and wisdom is a
key ingredient of the leader success formula.
From
my point of view, these qualities are the driving forces which keep leaders
motivated and moving forward.
Tamer Marzouk
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