(Laws of Effective Leadership)

Leading means having influence! But which leadership measures really influence employee behavior? What strengthens employee commitment and what leads to a performance orientation? Good managers know how to use their time where they can have an impact. Bad managers often waste time on low performers instead of supporting top performers.

Most important leadership quality: credibility

Surveys on important characteristics of managers repeatedly confirm that the credibility of the manager plays a central role in the relationship with employees. Different characters (from impulsive to reserved) are perfectly acceptable. Employees cannot be deceived. They sense exactly what mood the manager is in. Polished rhetoric is out of place in employee discussions, and is even dangerous. Authenticity, on the other hand, leads to trust and facilitates communication because we do not question the statements of a person we trust but accept them as valid. Questioning, however, leads to incorrect interpretations (distrust of motives) and prevents commitment from the employee.

Leading means helping employees succeed!

Managers are not measured by how quickly and precisely they work, but by the sum of their employees’ performance. Therefore, they must pursue one goal above all else: every employee should be able to achieve their goals. To do this, they must master three challenges:

1. Design: Have the right employees in the team
   Employees whose strengths do not match the requirements of the task rarely become top performers. Because they cannot meet expectations, they often lose self-esteem and become problem cases. When selecting personnel, it is therefore important that character and skills match the requirements. Adults can only be changed to a limited extent.
2. Steering: Set clear goals, provide support and give feedback. 
   Studies show that one of the most important motivational factors is that employees know exactly what is expected of them. This gives them the chance to achieve the goal as quickly as possible (with minimal effort). Deviations must be communicated promptly so that correction is still possible. Support through coaching increases the likelihood of achieving the goal even more. And positive feedback after the goal has been achieved is the best motivation for high levels of commitment to the next task.
3. Development: Recognizing, developing, promoting and using potential 
   People want to develop. Companies want to grow. It is best to maintain the ability to innovate with existing employees. Continuously promoting dormant talent and developing new skills therefore benefits both sides.

Leadership seminars  at the St.Gallen Business School build on these findings.

Motivations-Management

The debate about whether or not employees should be motivated at all is still very emotional. However, it is undisputed that people are guided by what offers them more advantages than disadvantages (=Employee Value Proposition; EVP). In this context, this EVP can be practically equated with the expression “success for the employee” – and success is the most reliable motivator.

Our approach also eliminates the pointless discussion about whether money can motivate employees: If there is a need for material compensation, then yes. If social needs outweigh this, then no.