“Be the Leader that your team LOVES”
Being a good leader is a challenge that requires the right combination of ethics, values, experience, skill and passion.
A leader brings out the best in each and every member of the team. Here are a few tips to help you become a leader that your team adores.
Good Leader=Happy Employees=Increased Engagement=Increased Bottom Line
1. BE A FRIEND
Of course there is a line between business and personal relationships, but remember that you are dealing with people that spend a large majority of their day at work.
Get to know your team! You should be acknowledging each and every birthday, childbirth and anniversary of your team members even if it is just through email. This is even more important if you lead a virtual team. You should know the strengths and weaknesses of each and every team member. You should know their career goals and be helping them to achieve those goals. Find that perfect balance between being a professional authority figure and a friend.
2. EMPATHIZE
A leader that does not listen is unfit to lead. Your communication approach should be considerate of your team. Being empathetic can even help you to anticipate your employee’s needs.
3. LET THEM SPEAK
Let your employees have a voice. Ask them questions and actually listen to their responses. By giving them a voice, they will feel important, involved, respected and valued. You may learn something from the people that are on the front lines and work in the trenches.
4. BE APPRECIATIVE
Constantly show appreciation and get creative with your delivery. Send an email, mail a card, buy them lunch, acknowledge them in a meeting, allow them to participate in a project or task that would normally be out of their job description, give them a gift card, say thank you, etc. Get creative but become committed to showing appreciation on a regular basis.
5. INSPIRE
Be an inspiration to your team, lead by example, and be passionate about your position. Live and operate in excellence and expect your team to do the same. Take a basic coaching course to learn some coaching techniques to make you a better leader. If you want to get better, there is always a way!
There are many things that you can do to become a better leader, and I hope this list can get you started.
What are some of the traits that are necessary for a strong leader to have?
