Probably, exactingness is the main quality that distinguishes a leader from a non-leader. A person who is not able to demand something from other people is also not capable of being a leader. And here neither a personal sense of responsibility, nor efficiency, nor conscientiousness, nor professional competence, nor economic and psychological knowledge will help. However, the good news is that demands can be developed. If desired, of course.
So. The exactingness of the leader consists of several points: demanding intonations, tight control and readiness to apply sanctions. Everything is clear here, except for one thing: do you do it or not? Let’s go through these points briefly.
Tight control. Rate yourself on a 10-point scale: if you negotiated and agreed with an optional employee, the employee promised you something — how methodically and inevitably will you monitor the fulfillment of his promises? If your self-esteem on this item is less than five, it’s bad. But don’t worry, it won’t change anything. Instead, breathe out, smile, and in the meantime, look for someone with a «bad» temperament who could control you better.
Willingness to apply sanctions is almost synonymous with exactingness. As soon as people feel that you are not capable of sanctions, you will cease to be a leader for them. Perhaps you will become a sponsor for them, a hospitable host, a friend, an interlocutor, a petitioner, a servant, but they will not perceive you as a leader. If you strain to apply sanctions when necessary, you are not quite a leader yet. For a strong leader, imposing sanctions is easy and natural. And this is not because there are no employees working without sanctions, but exactly the opposite: as soon as he meets disorganized people, he is surprised by this and is happy to help them in the most direct way. Of course, good sanctions will help them!
Long educational conversations with the manager are also a form of punishment, but here both are punished: both the employee and the manager. The easiest way is monetary fines, and the amount is preferably larger. But it is better not in favor of the head, but in a good charitable foundation, and assign a larger amount. Then, most likely, the person will try to do the job and he will not have to pay. So that’s great!
As for intonations… It would seem a trifle, but it is by intonations that a person with the skill of leadership is most easily recognized. The best leaders are excellent actors, they love to play with their voice, intonations, they are proud of their intonations. I made you a small selection for training intonations that are useful in the work of a leader: train for health!
Is it possible to teach a person to be demanding, if by nature he is not at all like that? Can. Persuasion and persuasion do not help here, but putting a person in a situation where it is really necessary helps.
If your child needs to be taken to the dentist so that he does not remain without teeth at all, most likely you will be demanding and take the child to the doctor, no matter how he resists and yells. And after a visit to the doctor, perhaps you will remove the lollipops from the house forever.
Okay, so how do you start to develop demandingness in yourself?
First of all, take a piece of paper and clearly state what you think is acceptable at work and what is not.
For example: Accusations, insults, conflicts are unacceptable. Emotions are unacceptable. It is unacceptable not to comply with a direct order. Mistakes are made by everyone, they happen, they are acceptable. Frequent and many mistakes, with a general desire and desire to develop and learn, are acceptable, and so on.
You can be even more specific: what do you want to achieve from this or that employee. Being demanding starts with knowing exactly what you want.
Second: check the boxes next to those requirements that are fundamental to you and mandatory for the employee. So much so that you will definitely find the time and strength to push your line to the end. If not, then it’s better not to demand or demand not now. Nothing undermines authority like a lost claim. It should not turn out that at first you demanded something — and then you got tired and left it. Either cancel the requirement if it is impossible to fulfill it, or demand execution, or fire the employee, but do not let things take their course: they demanded — they fell behind. If you have already decided that something is important to you, demand it to the bitter end. Or an irresponsible employee will begin to learn responsibility — or he does not work for you. There is no third.
If you start to demand — demand to the end.
Well, the banality: exactingness to others begins with exactingness to oneself. Demand responsibility from others — demand it from yourself, preferably with redoubled severity. Learn self-discipline!