Leadership is one of the most important qualities for achieving success in business. According to a recent Gallup poll, about 10% of employees are actively disengaged in the workplace. With annual turnover in the 10% range being common, it’s clear that strong leadership is needed to engage employees and reduce turnover. However, companies around the world are facing a leadership crisis.
A 2021 Global Leadership Forecast found that only 11% of organizations feel they have a strong leadership bench. This was the lowest rating in the past decade. With such challenges, it’s important for managers to develop their leadership skills. Here are some key lessons on how to become the boss you were meant to be.
Lead by Example
One of the most important leadership lessons is to lead by example. Employees will follow what you do much more than what you say. If you want your team to be punctual, hardworking, and ethical, you need to embody those traits yourself. Arrive early, stay late when needed, and always operate with integrity. Attorney Sagi Shaked provides an excellent example, as he built a successful personal injury law firm in Florida, and has achieved national honors, all before the age of 30.
Your team will notice your dedication and model their own behavior accordingly. Leading by example earns respect and inspires your employees to become better versions of themselves.
Communicate Openly and Honestly
Open and honest communication is vital for effective leadership. When employees feel out of the loop or get mixed messages, confusion and resentment result. So, you must communicate company goals and priorities regularly so your team understands where their work fits in. Also, have open door policies to allow employees to voice concerns and give feedback. Even if it’s critical, thank them for speaking up since their intention is to improve things. Honesty and transparency create trust, whereas holding things close to the vest backfires.
Recognize and Reward Contributions
Recognizing contributions is a key way in which leaders empower their team. Praising an employee’s initiative or great work not only motivates them, but it also signals to others what behaviors merit reward. Recognize achievements both big and small, from landing a big client to volunteering for extra projects. You could celebrate wins with team lunches, highlight top performers in meetings, and use rewards like gift cards. A little recognition goes a long way. Make recognition timely and specific, so your employees understand what exactly they did well. Vary how you recognize their achievements so that it stays meaningful.
Delegate Effectively
Next, you must learn to trust your team with responsibilities. Delegating tasks appropriately ensures workloads are manageable. It also shows you believe in your team’s abilities. Avoid micromanaging once you delegate. Offer support if needed but give employees freedom in how they complete their tasks. Delegating develops talent and frees up your time as a leader. Match the delegated tasks to each person’s strengths and growth goals and check in occasionally without hovering.
Learn from Failure
Mistakes happen, so leaders must learn from failure. Analyze setbacks objectively, focusing on root causes over blame. Discuss them as a team to understand what went wrong and how processes could improve. Also, examine your leadership. Could different support or preparation have changed the outcome? Model being open about missteps and show your employees that failure leads to growth.
Promote Collaboration
You must also encourage teamwork and collaboration. This builds camaraderie and taps into diverse perspectives. Include different personalities and departments in brainstorming. Have team building exercises and open discussions to spark new ideas. Collaboration breaks down silos, improves morale and gets better results than just one leader’s vision. Consider creative ways to encourage collaboration, like innovation tournaments or friendly competitions between teams. Collaboration should be ongoing, not just occasional.
Coach and Mentor Your Team
While recognizing good work is important, even more vital is coaching and mentoring. Employees need feedback and guidance to reach their potential. Praise strengths so employees know their talents are valued. Offer constructive suggestions for improvement so they can develop new skills. Devote time regularly, both one-on-one and in team meetings, to offer mentoring and coaching. Ask thoughtful questions to stimulate growth and are open to being mentored in return.
Empower Employees with Autonomy
Micromanaging employees is detrimental, as it kills motivation by implying you don’t trust them. Effective leaders empower their team with autonomy over their tasks and decisions. Establish frameworks and goals, then step back and let employees determine how to achieve them. Mistakes will happen but resist the urge to take over. Guide them through problems as a mentor rather than controlling their work. Autonomy creates ownership, accountability and growth.
With strong leadership, companies can overcome challenges and help employees become the people they aspire to be. Leadership takes constant effort but improves organizations, teams and lives.
