Whether you are a new leader, or you would simply like to improve your leadership skills, becoming a better leader is not an overnight process. There are some simple steps you can implement right now to begin the transformation. Below are five easy steps you can take immediately to improve your leadership skills.
1. Be Willing to Listen
How often do you take the time to listen to your team? One of the most common complaints of many employees is that their managers and supervisors never listen to them. Your willingness to listen to your team costs nothing except a few minutes of your time. Listening forms the basis of any good relationship. This is no less true in business than it is in personal relationships. Great leaders are willing to listen to what their employees both need and want, and the challenges that they face. In addition, good leaders are willing to entertain new ideas. If you find that you feel too pressed for time to open up to employees, consider ways in which you might be able to delegate tasks. Doing so provides excellent learning opportunities for your staff, while also giving you more time to focus on important tasks, such as having the time necessary to listen to your staff.
2. Be Willing to Be Honest
Far too often, managers try to cover up and keep critical information from their teams on a need-to-know basis. Unfortunately, secrets eventually have a way of being exposed, and the results can be detrimental to team morale. Regardless of the size of your team, it is important to practice a policy of openness and honesty. This has the potential to lead to happier employees and a more productive team.
3. Be Responsive
The best and most respected leaders are responsive to the needs of staff. Failure to respond to your team members can lead to miscommunication, frustration, and decreased productivity. By comparison, a culture of responsiveness demonstrates that you are interested in what your employees have to say. Whether it is via voicemail, email, texting, or some other form of communication, make sure you take the time to respond to your team. As successful leaders know, response time is critical to delivering customer service that leads to higher level of satisfaction and customer retention. If you take the time to respond quickly to your customers, you owe the same respect to your team members.
4. Be Clear Regarding Expectations and Rules
Whether you are leading an entire organization, or you are the leader of a small team, it is important to ensure that your expectations are clear from day one. Begin by making certain that you have a code of conduct that will provide employees with guidance regarding expected behavior. Additionally, it is important to ensure that you remain consistent regarding your own instructions. Too often, employees become frustrated when managers change directions in the middle of a project. Although some adjustments may be necessary from time to time, it is important to be both clear and consistent regarding your expectations.
5. Be Willing to Ask for Feedback
While it is always important to be firm and consistent in terms of maintaining your expectations, be sure to leave room for feedback. The last thing you want as a leader is to develop the reputation of being a dictator. As a leader, your goal should always be to have your staff follow you out of respect rather than fear. While your employees can certainly learn a lot from you, there is also a lot that you can learn from them. Do not be afraid to ask your team for feedback, particularly after you have completed a project.
In addition, implement an open door policy where your team knows that they are always welcome to provide feedback. You can also solicit feedback by asking your team if they have any questions. An open door policy makes your team feel that they are valued, and their perspectives vital to the success of your team.
Becoming a good leader does not happen overnight. By working on it consistently, you can begin to make changes that will benefit your entire organization.
