What is good leadership?
The employee satisfaction and engagement survey results are out, and we have asked three top-rated managers about what it takes to be a good leader.
What is good leadership?
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Henrik Leksø, Head of Department, Client Consultancy, Buildings, Copenhagen
What is good leadership to you?
“A good leader is one that can adjust his or her leadership style to match the individual employee. To motivate your employees, you must understand what drives the person.
Leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all. Rather, a good leader needs to be capable of approaching and uniting a diverse group of people.”
When is it difficult to be good leader?
“In my daily work, I strive to match employee skills and project requirements, but sometimes this is simply not possible. I consider this one of the toughest challenges of leadership.
In my experience honesty goes a long way in situations like this, for example telling your employee this task is a bit too easy for you, but it’s of extreme importance to the business. Honesty in the workplace encourages a sense of trust among the employees, which breeds a positive work environment and mutual understanding. “
What is your best leadership advice?
“Keep in mind that you’re managing individuals. All employees are different and are driven by different things. Painting people with large brush strokes doesn’t create a team environment that maximizes engagement.
As a leader, you must accept and accommodate individual differences. Only then, you can empower your employees to succeed on their own.”
Pia Jakobsgaard-Iversen
Markedsdirektør, Trekantområdet
T: +45 51615605Pia Jakobsgaard-Iversen, Market Director, Transport, Southern Jutland
What do you pay attention to when leading your employees?
“It’s important to consider how we make the most out of our employees’ competences when allocating them on projects and furthermore how to constantly develop their skillsets by pushing them to the edge of their comfort zones. I strive to encourage my employees to take lead on their own projects.”
Who has inspired you in your leadership style?
“I’ve been lucky to have good leaders throughout my career. As a young engineer, I’d a very empathetic manager who knew how to bring out the best in me and understood how to measure in terms of competences and potential.
Later in my career, my manager was good at challenging me, which taught me to verify my ideas. In my opinion, it’s important for leaders to understand that different work life stages call for different leadership styles.”
What is your best leadership advice?
“To be yourself and take pride in what you do. Then, your employees are more likely to find you trustworthy. Be honest about challenges and share both ups and downs with your colleagues.
Empower your employees by delegating tasks and focus on developing their skills and competences. Cheer for your employees and let them take the lead, if they’re up for it.”
Søren Steen Møller, Head of Department, Transport, Aarhus
What is good leadership to you?
“Good leaders lean on the organizational values. However, these values should not be treated as a system that dictates behavior. Rather, they form a common starting point that sets direction and guides employee behavior.
As a leader, it’s important to facilitate an ongoing dialogue about values and behavior – to empower your employees to operate and take decisions on their own.”
When is it difficult to be a good leader?
“It’s challenging to be a good leader when you lack the time and focus necessary to fully engage with your employees. It should go without saying, it’s crucial to listen to your employees.
In a busy work environment, it can be hard at times! However, I encourage you to consider the benefits of taking that time.”
Who has inspired you in relation to good management?
“I think that the Canadian author Henry Mintzberg is an interesting source of inspiration when it comes to leadership in practice. He mockingly describes the work of a manager as ‘one damn thing after the other’ by what he means that management is a practice rooted in craft, not science.
This has taught me that management is about more than just key figures. Most importantly, it’s about putting together the right team.”