There is no disputing that Greg Dyke radically improved the performance of the BBC in a surprisingly short period of time. That he had such an effect on an organisation that was both enormous and creative made it all the more remarkable. But, in his view, the key to everything he did was a change in the relationship between staff and management.
Here is Greg Dyke's eight-point formula for leaders wishing to enlist the hearts and minds of their workforce.
- Be yourself. It is lethal to try to ape the behaviour of the "stereotypical manager" just because you've got a job in management. You were appointed because of who you are and you need to keep faith with that.
- Communication really matters. People working in the organisation are more likely to support you and what you are trying to achieve if they feel they are involved in a two-way conversation with you.
- Be honest with your staff. It's no problem saying, "I'm sorry I got that wrong." The problem is pretending you are right when you know you are wrong.
- Set the example. Don't tell your staff to do one thing and then do another yourself, because they'll spot it immediately and your credibility will be undermined. It's about practising what you preach. If, for instance, you urge your managers to be less hierarchical and mix more with the staff, then you, as the leader, need to be seen to do this yourself.
- Be aware of your reputation. As a leader you'll be judged more by the stories told about you – either positive or negative – by others in the organisation than by anything you say or write. You have to recognise that and understand it when making decisions.
- Give others responsibilities. You have to be able to convince those working for you that they are capable of achieving greater things than perhaps they ever imagined. In turn, this means you giving people the responsibility and letting them get on with the job.
- Understand the finances. Managers who don't understand their finances are vulnerable as they are not really in charge. Numbers are far too important to be left to the accountants who, in my experience, will only succeed in confusing you. Insist that the accountants give you the numbers in a form that you understand.
- Show all the people who work for you that you care about them. Only then can you succeed. Over four years, I think I convinced the people who worked at the BBC that I cared about them, and that was one reason why they took to the streets to support me.
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