Why the best leaders aren't just 'ideas people'

The most impactful leaders aren't just 'ideas people' - there's another quality they have which ensures they succeed

Louise Brown Coaching - Leadership Execution - Thomas Edison

The ability to have creative, innovative ideas is often associated with great leadership. Think Steve Jobs and Apple or Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook. But there's another essential leadership quality that is sometimes underrated...

Thomas Edison (co-founder of General Electric and inventor of the light bulb) once said:

‘The value of an idea lies in the using of it’.

Ideas mean absolutely nothing without the ability to execute them. And successful results come from a combination of vision AND execution. A focus on execution (and by that I mean the human endeavour that is required to create growth) is one of the most important qualities needed in leadership, and those who practise it have an eye on what's needed on the journey to making their vision a reality.

The more tuned-in you are to the humans in your organisation (including yourself), the more likely you are to deliver against your targets. Humans are the power-house behind any successful business, and let’s face it, it’s part of being human to experience distractions, get tired, or forget what’s important.

As a leader of other humans, you’re uniquely placed to connect yourself and those you lead to the end goal and ensure day-to-day activities are focused on what really matters. The best leaders practise tuning-in to the human because they know that this is their superpower as a leader - they ensure they're harnessing the collective potential of their entire team.

By acknowledging and integrating the human needs in the journey to execute on your vision, you can centre your people around the core activities which deliver the most impact, harness valuable energy, and reduce the risk of unsuccessful implementation. All of which mean you can navigate to your growth goal more quickly than your competition.

Are you harnessing your superpower as a leader and tuning in to your human? If not get in touch or subscribe for more inspiration, tools and support.