Leadership is a perennially vital consideration for business owners. Whether you recently launched a start-up, or your small business is growing by leaps and bounds, you want to offer your team the best leadership possible to develop a positive company culture and to get the results you want and need for your business to thrive.
One thing you probably already know is that being a great leader is not a passive endeavor. It isn’t about sitting in a corner office and delegating tasks.
Let’s learn more about what it means to be a great leader and how to become one to inspire your team and to drive success.
7 Tips to Become a Better Leader
There are leaders at different levels within a company. That means people in all positions, beyond managers, can show and provide leadership. If these organic or experienced leaders aren’t managers yet, you might consider promoting them.
Great leaders offer inspiration, guidance, and motivation, which is far more involved and valuable than delegating daily tasks and ongoing projects. They breathe life into your company’s mission.
If you want to help others in your company become better leaders, or if you would like some help, all it takes is some good tips and the effort to adopt and implement them.
Here are 7 tips to become a better leader.
1. Make Real Connections With Team Members
It is important to build trust to create a positive work environment and foster collaboration with your company’s team members at all levels. The best way to do so is to find ways to make genuine connections by doing the following:
- Get to know team members as individuals, showing interest in their hobbies, goals, and opinions. Remember to actively listen and respond in a way that encourages meaningful discussions. Finally, make mental notes, and follow up on previous interactions and conversations. Showing compassion, humility, and empathy lets employees know that, together, you are all a part of the same team.
- Create an open-door policy that lets employees on your team know that you are approachable and that you welcome them to express their ideas, concerns, questions, and problems. This policy is transferrable to your overall demeanor, meaning that they can also approach you during both formal and informal interactions. With each interaction, be engaged, responsive, and nonjudgmental.
2. Recognize Team Members’ Contributions
Show appreciation, regularly recognizing your team members’ efforts. Express gratitude and let them know why their contribution was so important to their specific role, to their coworkers, and to the company. Recognize and celebrate their hard work privately via an email and publicly during monthly, quarterly, or annual meetings or celebrations.
3. Support Professional and Personal Development and Growth
Today’s workers often strive to successfully achieve their goals and want to move on to the next goal. Support your employees’ personal and professional goals. When possible, provide learning and skill development opportunities.
Considering offering educational reimbursement for relevant courses and programs team members take to improve their work for your company. If they proactively seek to add value to your company, it’s worth considering offering them a return on their investment.
Finally, offer mentorship and guidance to help them develop their career goals in your company. Let them know what types of courses, training, and certifications will help them advance for promotions and pay increases.
4. Serve Team Members as Coach or Teacher
Again, sitting in your office handing out tasks and deadlines is not the ideal image of a leader. Instruct team members about what tasks are required and why. Help team members know why their work is so invaluable and what the optimal processes are to complete their duties. With this strategy, you will create a more committed, caring, and collaborative work environment where people understand how important their diligence and commitment are to the company.
5. Foster a Team-Oriented Work Culture
Encourage your team members to rely on you and each other for support and problem-solving efforts. Plan brief daily or weekly meetings, asking everyone for an overview of their responsibilities, letting them know that if they need help, that you are available. Encourage all the team members with related duties to do the same.
Again, encouraging teamwork, celebrating achievements, and offering constructive feedback are core components of great leadership.
6. Set Clear Expectations
It is so much easier to accomplish goals and exceed expectations when we understand what is expected of us. Your team members will appreciate knowing what will determine their success and how it will help your company. Further, let everyone know that you encourage them to ask questions about any of their tasks to help ensure their ability to meet deadline goals and successfully accomplish assignments.
7. Keep Learning and Growing as a Leader
Maintain the attitude of being a learner to help you become and remain a great leader. It is not a static concept these days, as workplace cultures continue evolving. Follow leadership trends and best practices while also seeking out learning opportunities at conferences and workshops with today’s top leadership speaker in this crucial area.
Do you feel like you are on the path to becoming the leader your team needs? Try adding some of these tips into the mix, adjusting your leadership mindset, to see how your team responds. Whatever you do, keep working at it. With the right information and strategy, you’ll lead your team and your business to great success!
Matt Mayberry is President of Matt Mayberry Enterprises, Inc. He is also the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of “Culture Is the Way,” an internationally acclaimed keynote speaker, and one of the world’s foremost thought leaders on leadership development and culture change. Global Gurus ranked Mayberry one of the world’s top 30 leadership thought leaders for 2023. His insights on business performance have been featured on Harvard Business Review, Inc. Magazine, Fortune, Business Insider, NBC, ABC, Men’s Journal, Chief Executive and many more major media outlets.
Team leader stock image by fizkes/Shutterstock