Why Inspirational Leadership is not Enough Much is made of the power of inspirational leadership, however it has a limited contribution towards the delivery of exceptional business performance. Find out what else you need to add to the mix…  Imagine going to McDonalds, and relying solely on the restaurant leader’s leadership skills to ensure your burger and fries arrive accurately and promptly. The restaurant leader would need to inspire all relevant staff to do what is necessary to deliver your order. Wouldn't they be a busy chappie? How confident would you feel? Probably not very -. McDonalds restaurants are well known for their prescriptive systems, not inspirational leadership, to ensure consistent delivery of said burger and fries.  But hang on a minute; is that a fair question if McDonalds are not necessarily well known for their inspirational leadership?   Truly effective leaders are more than inspirational cheerleaders.  They are also extremely proficient in ensuring their team have effective systems to make getting the work done easier. Probably not, so let’s consider the same question about another company well known for its leadership – Apple.  If you had to rely solely on the leadership skills of Apple to deliver your new computer how confident would you feel? Still probably not very.  Why are we asking such ridiculous questions? Well because if you believed most leadership literature you could be forgiven for thinking that inspirational leadership is the sole answer to exceptional business performance. Yet in reality it is only one piece of the puzzle.  So what is missing? Truly exceptional leaders understand the critical role effective systems play in their leadership. Effective systems:  1. Guide employee behaviour Systems are part of the nonverbal communication of any business. The way in which work is expected to be done, plus the resources, attention, guidelines and measures assigned to different areas of work speak volumes to employees about what is expected. Effective systems convey to staff the strategic relevance of their work, and its associated processes, hence reinforcing (rather than undermining) leadership.  2. Reduce micro-managing Effective systems eliminate the need to micro manage staff. Leaders can effectively focus on strategic issues knowing their business systems fully support their strategic intent for the business. 3. Coordinate different parts of the business It is rare for any activity in a business to involve just one person. This interrelationship of activities is a key factor in overall business performance. Systems are the way in which we coordinate these interrelationships – who is responsible for what, and how people identify, execute and pass on their ‘bit’. Without systems to provide a common understanding of process, a leader would need to spend considerable time coordinating and directing.  4. Provide reliability and increase trustworthiness A recent Harvard University survey identified the number one factor in excellent customer service was ‘doing what you said you would’. That is your customers want you to be reliable and trustworthy.  Effective systems ensure that you can deliver what you promised, that is they provide reliability and increase the perceived trustworthiness of your business.  5. Make it great place to work You have probably worked somewhere where the systems were diabolical – either non existent, counter-productive or just ridiculously rigid. The impact systems have on employee’s ownership and enjoyment of their work is significant.  Effective systems support employees to do an exceptional job. They make it easier, not harder, to shine and businesses with good systems are more likely to attract higher quality staff.  6. Eliminate fire fighting Fire fighting is a sure sign that an ineffective system is in place - a system that cannot handle variations in workflow and/or customer requirements.  Effective systems are flexible, adaptable and deliver consistent results, hence you can put that heavy fire extinguisher down.  7. Integral platform for growth Most leaders have a vision that includes business growth.  Effective systems are those that can grow as the business grows and they can be replicated in other areas. There is simply no point growing if your systems cannot handle it – the chaos, waste and damage to your business reputation are not worth it.  One more question… So with effective systems playing such a critical role in exceptional business performance, there is only one question left to ask… Why aren’t leaders paying more attention to their business systems?!!!   To find out how to design and implement effective business systems see our Systems Workshop - designing and implementing systems for consistent results  Management and Leadership Links The role of Manager Managing vs. Leading: is there a difference? Are middle managers just puppets on a string? How should you spend your time? Mini test - Are you doing the right things? Is Fire Fighting an Essential Business Skill? What do you stand for? Got a Tough Decision to Make? Must read management books Management and Leadership tools For more practical ideas subscribe to our newsletter now. 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