Leaders are efficient when they boost up teamwork through processes rather than impose their opinions. That was the main idea of the webinar on leadership for the AmCham members delivered by Oleksandr Sudarkin, MIM-Kyiv MBA programs director.

Negative power fails when it is necessary to transfer skills inside the organization. Thus, positive skills that lead to positive results are not disseminated.  “Authoritarian and tough leaders are popularly believed to produce the best results. It is partially so because harsh words, threats, and pressure produce immediate effects. But it is not enough when we need to sustain our results and change the fabric of the organization. Moreover, people get used to negativity,” Oleksandr said. 

Safe environment and information flows are yet another responsibility of a true leader. “50% to 70% of internal information are about things that help to work better but are not reflected on the job descriptions. That’s why the “tough guy” learns about the accidents after it happens. On the other hand, the non-authoritarian leaders are better aware of the potential problems and can prevent them,” Oleksandr mentions. 

The ability to manage information and involve the team members in the development of the solutions is another vital skill of leaders. When involved, team members can offer their knowledge and alter even existing decisions if there are better options.