There are a variety of different leadership styles to choose from. No one-size-fits-all answer. But no matter what style you ultimately choose, there are things all good leaders should strive to do consistently.
So, you may be asking yourself: How can I become a better leader?
These four things can help you improve as a leader and build trust among your team to inspire them to achieve more.
Delegate to the experts
Have you ever worked for a boss who just didn’t trust you or any of your colleagues to do the work? No individual person can move a mountain (or some other cliché of your choosing). Good leaders understand the gaps in their experience and set of skills, and they hire high-quality people who bring those skills to the team to fill those gaps. They trust their team to do the jobs they were brought in to do, and they delegate responsibilities to the people best suited to handle them.
Empower your team
Building on my last point about learning to delegate, it’s also critical to empower your team. Good leaders don’t spend their day looking over the shoulders of their team members. Good leaders trust their team to do great work. Questioning every little thing a person does can leave them beaten down and lacking confidence. Performance will drop because they’ll be afraid to try anything new, and you’ll end up getting just enough out of your team so they can get by, collect a paycheck and call it a day. If you really want to get the best out of your team, trust them to do what they do best, and you take care of what you do best.
Provide growth opportunities
One of the first things I like to do when a new employee joins the team is learn about their professional goals and aspirations. It’s important, as a leader, to understand where your team members want to go with their career and help them get there. The ultimate goal being to help them grow so they stick around and continue to grow with your company and bring new and improved skills to the organization. This boosts morale and shows that you truly value and are invested in them.
Recognize accomplishments
When someone on your team contributes something great (or even just good) that advances your plan, let them know you appreciate it. A recent study from Psychometrics showed that 58% of respondents, when asked what leaders could do more to improve engagement, said “give recognition.”
Source: PsychoMetrics
A little bit of positive reinforcement can go a long way in motivating employees to work hard and contribute more to your cause. Gather your leadership team together and brainstorm ways to give your team the recognition they deserve.
Being a good leader is a goal that’s never complete. You should consistently assess your performance and even ask for feedback from your peers and the team you lead. Be open to change and always strive for improvement.
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