Zoe Suren, Managing Director, EnergiLink 

Rule Number One: Great Teams Have Effective Leadership

At the heart of every high-performing team is a strong, capable leader. Effective leaders unlock the potential of their teams without this, even the most talented individuals can fall short of delivering at their best.

There are many leadership styles democratic, transformative, and non-restrictive, to name a few. Each style brings a different dynamic, and the best leaders know when and how to apply these approaches depending on their team, goals, and company culture.

Transformative Leadership: Transformative leaders inspire and energise their teams around a shared mission. They become the team’s cheerleader - motivating, guiding, and aligning everyone toward a common goal. This style is rare because it demands high emotional intelligence, charisma, and the ability to influence without controlling. When done right, the results can be exceptional, creating a team that thrives on purpose and accountability.

Democratic Leadership: Democratic leaders place a high value on collaboration. They actively seek out team input, promote open dialogue, and share decision-making responsibilities. This approach fosters inclusivity, empowers individuals, and builds a sense of ownership. However, it requires a confident and self-aware leader: someone who can put their ego aside and focus on enabling others to shine.

Non-Restrictive Leadership: In contrast, non-restrictive leadership is hands-off. Leaders trust their teams to operate independently, which can work well in experienced or senior teams. While this style promotes autonomy and individual growth, it doesn’t always push people to exceed expectations. Without support or challenge, some team members may plateau instead of excel.

These examples show that leadership style has a direct impact on how a team performs and it’s worth asking yourself:

• What leadership style is present in your team?
• Is there consistency across your business?
• Are your leaders actually bringing out the best in people?
• Do they know how to?

The Business Case for Great Leadership

Consider this: a manager who gets their team to perform at 80% of their potential across five people delivers roughly the same output as a manager who gets four people performing at 100%. That 20% difference, multiplied across departments or entire businesses, becomes a game-changer in terms of performance and ROI.

In today’s market, where every budget line counts and growth opportunities are fiercely competitive, it makes more sense than ever to invest in leadership. Effective leadership isn’t just a “nice-to-have”; it’s a cost-saving strategy and a growth enabler.

Hiring and Promoting With Leadership in Mind

Whether you’re hiring externally or promoting internally, assessing leadership ability should be a priority. Ask yourself:

• What kind of leadership does this team need?
• How do we want our growth to be led from day one?
• Does this candidate’s leadership style align with our goals?

And if you're promoting someone internally, ensure they’re supported. Do they need training? Would they benefit from a mentor or advisor? The right support at the right time can be the difference between average and exceptional delivery.

Conclusion

The best teams have the best leaders and in this market, we have to work harder to capture opportunities. Leadership isn’t just about titles or tenure. It’s about outcomes. At EnergiLink, we’re building a model to help global energy companies assess deliverables at the top levels.

If you’d like to explore how we can help your team maximise its performance, get in touch: we’d love to connect.

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: EnergiLink