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Important Lessons in Leadership from HRH

Keep calm and carry on: Lessons on leadership from HRH Queen Elizabeth II

This weekend millions of people are expected to join celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee. It’s an extraordinary milestone that marks Her Majesty’s seventy years in public service.

Seventy years leading the country is no mean feat. In fact, Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-reigning British monarch in history, seeing no less than 14 prime ministers take control of her government while she maintains Head of State.

Whether you are a fan or not, there’s no denying that HRH has set an admirable example of leadership and continues to serve as a well-respected role model for women in business.

So in honour of the Queen’s platinum jubilee, we’re putting the celebratory cream tea aside, momentarily, to look at Her Majesty’s example of leadership and how you can nurture the future leaders in your business.

Here are some key things you need to do as a business owner/leader:

Taking responsibility
Not all who end up in a management position are natural born leaders, although many of the skills required to lead can be developed.

If renowned Netflix series The Crown is anything to go by, when a then twenty-something princess was to take her father’s place as Head of State, she admittedly felt ill-prepared for such a role.

That didn’t stop her though and what followed was a sort of mentorship from her first prime minister, Winston Churchill, along with dedicated studying from a tutor that she herself acquired.

Perseverance is key for a new leader to establish themselves, as the road will not always be an easy one. It also inspires those they are leading, by setting a strong and determined example.

Confident decision making
Decision making is required of all managers, but even they can turn to a leader for the tough ones.

Strong leadership is about having the confidence to make and commit to difficult decisions, even when it sometimes makes you unpopular.

This is something that Queen Elizabeth II has experienced first-hand when her commitment to her role and duty sometimes didn’t sit well with her own family members.

A leader holds great responsibility, which doesn’t always win friends, but earns trust and respect through sound judgement and creative problem solving.

Motivating the masses
During times of adversity, good leaders will show their strength and courage needed to get the job done, helping and inspiring others in the process.

After seventy years of public service, no matter the political climate or a global pandemic, HRH has kept a strong and consistent presence. In addition, many look forward to the Queen’s annual Christmas speech to motivate them for the year to come.

Communication is an important skill for effective leadership, as is knowing when to send a message and when to listen and learn.

Nurturing your leaders
Your business may have gone through some changes as a result of the pandemic, and it’s possible there may be more ahead.

It’s never too early to start identifying and developing future leaders amongst your team, helping you to have the right people in the right place when you need them. But what if you feel you lack those natural leaders or individuals that will help your business?

If this is something you are currently thinking about please contact our recruitment team, we can help you find those people that your business needs to succeed.