The most common misconception of being a great leader is of the person who stands at the front of the business shouting orders to the hundreds of staff. But this is not what great leadership is.
Great leaders encourage, motivate, and empower their staff to keep moving ahead whilst they stand at the back. They can see what is going on and act as a mentor and guide to the rest of the company.
Some people have facilities to lead, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t learn it.
Here are 5 tips to be a great leader:
Tip 1: Motivate
How? Give your team a purpose and encouragement!
People need a purpose. And only the leader can provide them with a vision that will motivate them to be the best version of themselves.
A great company can never be built with one person alone. Which is why it’s so important that as a leader, you make sure that every single person finds purpose and is working towards a collective goal.
Encourage your team with a positive attitude and by letting them take ownership of the tasks they are responsible for.
Responsibility will make them feel they are good enough to be entrusted with key tasks, which will give them confidence and motivate them to work harder.
Tip 2: Listen
Listen to people, put yourself in their shoes, and understand better what they’re going through.
Some ways in which leaders can focus on having a positive impact on their people is to have 2-way communication. You have to regularly encourage your people to feedback on their concerns, issues, and ideas and then take action on what they say!
This will build vital trust between you as a leader and your people as they will feel valued when they are heard, and their words inspire action.
Tip 3: Adapt
The workplace has evolved a lot. If respect was sometimes earned by fear, it is now earned by your ability to make your collaborators heard, happy, and accomplished.
If something isn’t working well, don’t be scared to adapt your employees’ missions. Adapt them to what they are good at, what they enjoy doing, and the people they are compatible with. This will improve efficiency, quality of work, and your co-workers’ well-being and fulfillment.
Tip 4: Support
A leader’s role is to ensure the staff is in a supported environment in which they can grow and flourish, as this will ultimately benefit the entire company.
As a leader, you have to understand that your team is only failing if they lack purpose, human resources, tools, or knowledge. Your job is to provide them with whatever they need to succeed. It could be an intern to help with a few tasks, software that could save them some time, or skills they need and would like to acquire.
Supporting them will only empower them, make them more efficient, and motivate them to work harder.
Tip 5: Celebrate
You don’t become a great leader by putting people down, but by praising everyone’s achievements, no matter how small.
Some people think that free food and gym subscriptions are what make employees happy. But isn’t what people really want recognition for their hard work?
Take the necessary time to regularly feedback the great things your people are doing and be specific about it. Rather than saying ‘well done, you can say, ‘I’m really proud of the way you took ownership of the customer issue and resolved it and not giving up.’ Being specific also shows you care and are paying attention to your people.
