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Leaders’ behavior and treatment of team members have a direct influence on employee engagement, company culture, and a company’s ability to attract and retain talent.
Not everyone is born with leadership; it is a skill that can be learned and developed, just like any other. It is important to realize that a leader’s effectiveness is also impacted by the level of influence and support they get from their team members.
Being in a leadership role does not guarantee that other employees will follow your lead and value your decisions. Your immediate supervisor already has your back since they hired you. Your peers, teams, and direct reports must all support you.
Whether you want to progress in your career or go from being an individual contributor to a leadership role, you may adopt these 11 leadership abilities, qualities, and attributes.
1. Show your appreciation and recognition.
Well-known CEOs publicly express gratitude and acknowledge the contributions of their team members. By thanking team members for their achievements and offering them constructive feedback, you may foster a positive work environment.
To be inspired to put up their best effort, workers must feel that they are on the right track and that their efforts will be appreciated. Seek ways to express gratitude for your team’s achievements, even if it’s only a simple “well done.”
Consistently and deliberately do it. Giving praise too frequently or for little reasons might come off as phony and demotivate others.
2. Paying close attention
After leaving Apple in 1985, the late Steve Jobs claimed to have returned as a more capable and modest leader; former Apple CEO John Scully largely credited this to his enhanced listening abilities.
Establishing ground rules and offering new ideas for work practices are vital, but so is standing back and listening to your team. A savvy leader has to be aware of what is going on with their team and business in order to make informed decisions.
Being a great leader requires being a great communicator, and great communicators pay attention. Effective leaders are proactive and astute listeners. If you want to be seen as an active listener, you should never interrupt or intervene, maintain eye contact at all times, and show that you are truly listening by nodding. Employees want to be heard, not patronized or worse, ignored.
3. Communicate clearly
Communication skills that are clear, concise, and empathetic are essential for effective leadership. Communication involves more than just paying close attention to what others are saying and responding appropriately.
It also means sharing helpful information, asking insightful questions, asking for input and new ideas, clearing up misunderstandings, and being clear about what you want. Additionally, the most successful leaders utilize communication to inspire confidence, increase motivation, and invigorate their workforce.
4. Show dedication
No one likes working in a team or under a leader who isn’t dedicated. The team spirit you foster as a leader may be the difference between a great and a bad team. A committed leader is more likely to win the team’s trust. Most importantly, being dedicated keeps the team spirit strong.
5. Acknowledge failure
Effective leaders welcome failure as an opportunity for personal growth since it is an essential part of success. Recognizing failure scenarios is helpful since it inspires your team to develop and flourish, whether it’s a personal setback or an issue inside the company.
You may encourage your team to embrace failure by being honest about your failures and sharing the lessons you gained from each one.
6. Make an investment in your team’s future.
Workers require a well-defined career progression plan. A capable leader gives their immediate subordinates leadership opportunities in addition to planning their development paths inside the company. Leaders need to invest in their team by giving them respect, growth opportunities, and recognition for their exceptional performance.
The creation of entry-level, low-risk leadership opportunities empowers team members and allows them to exercise leadership without excessive pressure. Set high expectations for them and encourage them to be inventive and creative. Make sure your employees are aware of the goals and deadlines, and give them the autonomy and authority to decide how the assignment is finished.
These opportunities might be as simple as setting up team-building activities or conducting a meeting, which can instill much-needed confidence in your group. You can also provide them feedback on their leadership abilities through these exercises.
7. Be empathetic in your leadership
Emotional intelligence is hard to quantify. Being empathetic entails being able to see and understand issues from the viewpoints of workers with different levels of seniority within the company and being aware of how their actions impact everyone. It also shows that the leader has the capacity to see beyond in order to inspire, encourage, and motivate employees at all levels.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need of empathy in an organization. It highlighted the importance of compassionate leadership and showed how encouraging managers and their staff to have open and honest relationships directly affected workplace culture. An atmosphere of psychological safety where employees feel free to bring up difficult topics is fostered by compassionate leadership.
8. Be truthful
An honest leader makes decisions, acts, and engages with people based on their values. They have a strong sense of right and wrong and are admired for being honest, moral, ethical, and consistent. They have a strong moral compass and are forthright and honest. Additionally, they fulfill their obligations.
9. Maintain objectivity
An successful team leader is unbiased, able to understand all points of view in a conversation or argument while coming up with ideas that are focused on the final result. Objective leaders may also use external forces to help them make fair judgments that the team as a whole can agree on. Team members will also comprehend that decisions are made based on fairness and justice rather than individual preferences or other factors.
10. Lead by example
Setting a good example is the best way for a leader to gain respect and build credibility. Act in the way you want other people to act. If you have high expectations for your employees, you should be ready to hold yourself to a high level. Coordinating your words and actions may help you establish trust and inspire your team to follow your example.
11. Communicate their vision
Having a clear corporate vision and successfully conveying it may help maintain a high level of employee engagement and advance the firm. A visionary leader knows exactly what success looks like, how to get there, and what their goals are.
Communicate your vision with passion and clarity to ensure that your team knows how their work contributes to higher-level goals. Your enthusiasm, perseverance, and resolve in following your concept will inspire others to do the same.
Communicate your vision often and set clear team goals that align with it. When team members ask for your opinion, share it, and don’t be afraid to make the tough decisions. Being clearer and more resolute will make it easier for your staff to support your ideas.
