Message 3: The Leader's Sense of His or Her Job

Consider the purpose of your leadership role and communicate it clearly. Leadership roles have evolved greatly over the last 20 years—in particular, over the last decade. Given the diverse workforce in terms of age, gender, and ethnicity, views of leadership roles are not uniform. Therefore, it is imperative that employees understand leaders' expectations and roles.

Communication of responsibilities, particularly as it applies to leaders, is a necessary part of doing business effectively. For example, a leader who views their role as a contributor, not an authoritarian, allows for a more collaborative environment—but this must be communicated in order to drive results. Unless leaders understand and communicate their roles, employees react based on assumptions, which can vary from person to person. If you assume that the leader’s role is to dictate instructions, then you will wait for direction before acting. Lack of definition and communication of leadership roles can be stifling.