Let’s not focus on the ‘big picture’ leadership role, but instead on the actual work that a leader has to do. If you can understand and emulate the work that leaders do, you can increase your personal success. In fact, you can take the following information and develop your own leader’s work chart.

There are three components to the work of a leader: managing, leading and motivating. Each component is divided into three aspects of work. For example, managing is divided into planning, organizing and control. Good managers understand the need to have a plan and to work that plan to achieve results. Similarly the successful manager knows that planning must be augmented with organizational skills and an ability to follow up and control the process of getting things done.

In the leadership category there are three separate components – vision, alignment and motivation. A necessary part of good leadership is to have a clear and compelling vision of the organization. The vision is used to align the whole organization around the future and to motivate employees to help realize the vision.

The third category is motivating. Motivating is comprised of three parts as well. The three parts are values, direction and involvement. Values are a critical source of guidance for the behaviour of everyone in the organization, top to bottom. A valueless organization stands for nothing and will stop at nothing to achieve its ends. A value-driven organization, on the other hand, clearly stands for something and every employee knows what that something is. Some organizations value customer service, some value respect for the individual or teamwork or open communications. Whatever the value system is, the successful leader works hard to ensure that his or her behaviour reflects that values of the organization and that everyone else behaves according to the values as well.

Direction is an often misunderstood and sadly lacking element of leadership. All employees of an organization look to the top for a sense of purpose and direction. Waffling is a sure sign of weak and ineffective leadership. Good leaders work hard at providing clear direction to the organization. It is very similar to a sailing ship that has no direction in mind - no wind blows well for that ship. Developing and especially communicating the direction of the organization is very definitely the work of the leader. He or she must spend a significant amount of time, often repeating and repeating again, the direction of the organization.

The final aspect of motivating is the idea of involvement. Involved employees, employees who are committed to the organization, concerned about its future and competent in delivering results are the hallmark of an excellent organization. It follows that the work of a leader is to achieve results through motivating that workforce to succeed. Motivation is at its most powerful when employees not only ‘feel’ involved but are actually, in reality, completely involved in the success of the organization.

Now comes the call to action. If you occupy a leadership role in your organization, draw up a chart with three columns - Managing, Leading and Motivating. Then write down each of the three elements and begin to fill in the blanks. Test yourself as a leader. Identify your strengths and your areas that need improvement and begin today to develop your self into a ‘working’ leader.