Megan O'Connell Consulting

I’ve been spending some time pondering my leadership style, what works for me and what I admire in others.

It has been great to have some time out to reflect on how my leadership has developed over time, and the consistent ways of working that have underpinned my success and others that I look upon with admiration.

Aligning staff to organisation values and vision

This has been a key in all my workplaces. I’ve worked with teams to understand our shared purpose, why we work in an organisation and how each of our functions adds to our ability to achieve our mission.

I’ve realised, particularly in not for profit workplaces, how important deliberately building this aligned sense of purpose is. Salaries on offer are often below market rates, and staff need to work on a variety of tasks outside of their comfort zone. Especially in the current labour market staff have choices, they don’t have to work for you, and they absolutely do not have to work with agility across a range of disparate tasks. A shared commitment to higher order outcomes is the glue that binds people to the work.

It is so important to acknowledge how each person’s work is important and how together we’re contributing to a greater future. By working with and valuing each person, you build their alignment, capacity and drive.

By building a common sense of purpose and understanding of each other’s roles, you create a sense of team so staff help each other, rather than existing in silos. You also build momentum for doing and achieving more, rather than fear of additional projects leading to overwork and stress.  New ideas emerge, new alliances and relationships across teams and there’s a buzz, with staff having each other’s backs and innovations emerging.

Being true to yourself as an individual, and as an organisation

It has taken years to accept that my considered, passionate and reflective manner as a leader is key to how I lead and to accept this as a strength.

Similarly, I’ve learned that organisations need to be authentic and play to their strengths. By building on what an organisation does well, and where it has a unique value proposition, you grow respect for an organisation and its functions and attract support and funding in due course. This has been as true in my leadership of a member body as it has leading a think tank.

There’s a deal of fear, risk and trust that underpins this focus on building and sticking to an authentic vision – that if you do work well, put effort into relationships and outputs you will succeed. It takes bravery, time and effort, but creates a sustainable base.

The alternative, a scattergun approach to secure any funding, is reputationally risky and likely to set an organisation back even if the initial sugar hit is grand.

Good leadership has enduring impacts on organisational capacity

A good leader capacity builds those around them, so when they leave an organisation has a team, reputation, culture and capacity to weather the storm.

Alignment to a central organisational vision remains, and staff continue to pursue shared goals. By bringing people with you on the leadership journey you create the environment for ongoing organisational success.

Good leaders work over a variety of time horizons to ensure the sustainability of an organisation. Investments in relationships, submissions and ideas bear fruit months, at times years, after you depart as an ongoing legacy of your work to position the organisation for success.