Proficiency in leadership doesn’t always follow tenure.

While tenure provides experience, growing in proficiency as a leader is not achieved by a passage of time, but by the cultivation of character and a lot of hard work.

Take golfers as an example; plenty of golfers have played for decades, and rarely do they improve. The same is true in leadership. Tenure doesn’t always equal leadership.

However, 65% of managers in private companies add net negative value to their companies. Take the Proficiency continuum as an example: developing into a leader who goes from novice to competent and then world-class accelerates an organization or team’s performance.

Proven Principles Shorten the Proficiency Timeline

However, in leadership, there are a few fundamental principles that, if you know them, can help you shorten your timeline to proficiency and deliver better results.

Before we get there, let’s level set on what a principle is and where these came from.  A principle, by definition, is a concisely worded statement of truth that transcends circumstances. They are cornerstones to rely on and lean on to help with comprehension and application.

Most of these principles are drawn from our research studying world-class leadership and my book Building the Best.  Hopefully, they will help you focus your efforts and solve some challenges that relate to people.

So let’s dig into the proven principles:

Principle #1

First Who, Then What

Your product is your people, especially if you plan on being around for a long time.  A restaurant indeed needs good food, and a technology company needs excellent software. But how those things are delivered and what innovation arises is from people. Anytime I work with a manager, regardless of their title or industry, I tell them a principle I learned from Jim Collins, “First who, then what.”

So it’s not about what you do or how you do it; it’s about who you have on the team. It’s about getting the right people in the right seats first. Then, once that’s in place (which never ends), you lean into culture and relationships.

Principle #2

Without Strong Relationships, You Can’t Lead

Your competence is not your solution; your ability to connect and build trust with team members is.

Too often, managers ride in town on their accountability horse, and while personal responsibility and accountability are central to any high-performing team, trust and relationships come first.

Whenever I teach the Accelerate Leadershipprogram, I remind leaders,

“Rules before relationships lead to rebellion.”

So invest in relationships. You don’t need or even want to be best friends, but you do need to respect and trust each other. That, my friends, is earned.

Principle #3

People Persevere Because of Purpose, Not Pay

Money is a motivator, but purpose is inspiring and sustaining.  Since everyone is motivated by different things, and managers might not have much control over how much money someone can make, they must rely on something that sustains them.

Anytime one of our coaches works with a manager, they remind them,

“Great leaders make the mundane meaningful.”

There are many positive examples of how establishing a shared purpose can help a team persevere through challenging times.

Principle #4

The Instant Standards are Lowered, the Instant Performance Begins to Erode

Some leaders have an aura; they command the attention the moment they walk into a room. Whether you have this or not, you must leverage standards to align the behaviors of your team.

To understand precisely how leaders get consistent results, it’s helpful to understand the Route to Results. Leaders are responsible for setting clear standards. Those standards produce behaviors. Behaviors, when practiced repeatedly, become habits, and the collective habits ultimately lead to results.

However, while standards are the starting point for results, they can also be their downfall.

It’s tempting for leaders to lower the standard for one person or a particular situation.

But tread lightly because the instant you lower them, the instant performance begins to erode. You have set a new standard, but it’s in the opposite direction of your intended target.

Principle #5

Someone’s Best Performance Tomorrow Requires Personalized Coaching Today

99% of people can benefit from coaching.

The reason is that the vast majority of people will only go to the point in which they get uncomfortable, and then they stop. They often need someone else to challenge them to go beyond their comfort zone, precisely where growth occurs.

Unfortunately, most companies don’t have the resources to invest in outside performance coaches, which means managers must play that role.

A coach helps others get from where they are to where they want or need to be.

This often requires personalized effort to help them get to the next level in their development.

Closing

Leadership is a journey, not a destination. Your proficiency in leadership will not take shape simply because of time or tenure.  You must stay committed, stay curious, and be intentional in your desire to improve.

However, instead of applying all five of these principles at once, pick one you need to master first.  Focus your efforts on that one principle and watch the results improve.

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About the Author: John Eades is the CEO of LearnLoft and The Sales Infrastructure. He was named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices. John is also the author of Building the Best: 8 Proven Leadership Principles to Elevate Others to Success. You can follow him on Instagram @johngeades.