Leadership is now, more than ever, about mentoring, sharing, influencing and staying true to your beliefs and values, writes TANIA NGIMA

One of the things that frustrates most people going into new leadership positions is culture and secrecy. Modern leadership, however, dictates that the former times when the upper echelons of management were shrouded in mystery should be a thing of the past.

Leadership is now, more than ever, about mentoring, sharing, influencing and staying true to your beliefs and values. While in some systems leadership is synonymous with authority, in most fluid organisations, title does not automatically mean leader, even though it may attach the term manager after your name.

Change

To be effective in a world where technology means constant change means changing the way we lead. The less complex, the less stifling and, therefore, the more effective. Whether it relates to your values, what you stand for, what you are trying to achieve or the culture you are trying to change, the simpler and clearer your vision is, the better. Talking about core values and beliefs may be difficult if you have not done it before, but its strength should never be underestimated. If you stand for openness and honest communication, then make sure your team knows that, and that you walk that talk at every opportunity.

Impact

The lure to create short term gains and remain relevant is high, but is often at the expense of sustainability and significance. Creating sustainability requires a lot of introspection and self-belief, as well as knowing your business, its strengths and weaknesses in the most detailed way. Leaders must be better teachers, role models, mentors in order to allow their attributes to shine in others.

The power of self-reflection cannot be understated. When we spend our time working and doing and firefighting, it can be easy to lose sight of what our goals are. All too frequently, life becomes more about crisis management than value addition. If you find yourself on autopilot, take a step back and revisit your values and goals.

Purpose

You have heard it said often: Love what you do, which does not necessarily mean the same as do what you love. Leading with purpose and motivating others to perform to their highest capability is the best kind of leadership there is. Everyone has elements of their job that they find less pleasant. However, everyone should also have elements of their job that they appreciate.