Defining a Leader

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

How is a leader defined, especially a leader in the EMS industry? Leaders follow a few basic principles, no matter which industry they work in.

One could define a leader as an individual leading a group of individuals towards a clearly defined goal. A broader perspective, as Bob Reina, CEO of Talk Fusion explains, would define leadership as “with having a selfless heart and always being willing to reach out and lend a helping hand.”

At Asteelflash, the leadership principles we embrace are:

• Self-Evaluation: Evaluating your own strengths and weaknesses as well as others’ strengths and weaknesses will definitely help deal with any type of situation.
• Relevant Skills: Leaders do not have to be the most technical in the workplace. However, maintain a high level of competence in the industry you’re active in will create a legitimate relationship of respect.
• Know Your Employees: Know their name, what they like to do after work and most important, how they react to situations. Indeed, knowing your collaborators’ personalities will help by saving time and avoiding issues; it will enable you, as a leader, to coordinate and decide how best to employ each individual.
• Set the Standards by Leading by Example: Employees tend to watch managers’ and directors’ appearance and attitude at work, using it as an example. If you set the standards high for yourself, your employees are most likely to follow the same trends and be motivated by your attitude.
• Teamwork and Accountability at All Times: Train your employees with a purpose and emphasize the essential elements of teamwork and realism. Teach your people to train, play and operate as a team. Be sure that everyone knows their positions and responsibilities within the team framework.
• Training and Personal Development: Show your employees you are interested in their welfare by giving them the opportunity for professional development. Assigning tasks and delegating authority promotes mutual confidence and respect between the leader and the team.

In the fast-paced environment of the EMS industry, there is no room for people hiding from their responsibilities. The customer is at the heart of the overall business model, so it is critical for employees in the industry, from the production floor to top management, to know how important their role for the organization is, and to always work as a team to make sure the quality of the product is unmatched and delivered in a timely manner, as required by the customer.

Leadership is also the ability, in our industry, to have a strategic outlook on where the industry is going to be in 10 years, making it possible to evolve as a preferred partner. Indeed, as a contract manufacturer, it can be easy to focus on what’s needed now and tomorrow, and to deliver the products to customers at the right time. However, every EMS organization needs a leader with a vision, one who knows where the growth is going to be in the next five years, and how to strengthen capabilities and technological expertise to address the needs of customers in the future. Not today, and not just tomorrow.

To read this entire article, which appeared in the October 2016 issue of SMT Magazine, click here.