Being in a position of leadership can seem very exciting at first – think of all the power you have right at your fingertips! But along with power comes great responsibility, responsibility which can quickly seem overwhelming. By taking the time to learn about traits of effective and fair leaders, you will be doing your company a great service.
Allow ample opportunity for your employees to offer feedback and new ideas. Although group meetings are the ideal setting for exchange of information, some employees may not feel confident offering opinions in such a public forum. Work with employees individually as well. This will help you gain trust and get some honest feedback.
Be sure that you spend some time each day out of your office, and in the midst of the workforce. Try to be a part of the group, while maintaining your leadership role. You can use this time to get to know your employees, ask questions or even join them for lunch.
Remember, no matter how good of a leader you are, you still have room for growth. You might have good ideas and think you’re perfect, but others may wish to add something, too. They may be able to provide ideas to facilitate your plans or identify issues that may arise during implementation of them.
Learn to delegate nonessential tasks to your employees. Delegation allows you to focus on the essential things that must be done to make your company successful. Additionally, delegating tasks to your employees gives them a sense of pride and ownership in the company. Although it is tempting to try to do everything yourself, delegation is beneficial to your company.
One way to become a good leader is to avoid becoming a monarch. You should have a good and talented workforce under you if you are a good leader. Just make sure to avoid creating a “throne” by setting up restrictive guidelines that are unreasonable. You need to guide your employees, but not with a bunch of parameters that are unnecessary. Influence your workers without trying to “rule” them.
Be open to new ideas, perspectives, and ways of doing things. Many companies want to constantly repeat something that has proven successful for them. There is little wrong with that, but inadvertent leaders try putting too much effort into one thing that worked. Thoughtful leadership should acknowledges success, while also recognizing that there are ways to improve.
Good leaders must finish the job. You hear many leaders brag about their projects, but many haven’t actually finished them. Those that don’t genuinely finish can lose the confidence of their clients. You must set goals and see your tasks through to completion. Remember that nothing is entirely useful until it’s finished.
Try to listen more than you indulge in talking. Being a great leader starts with listening to what your team has to say. Listen to the things your employees are saying to you. Listen to what they’re griping about and praising the company for. Learn from all your employees what they have to say about the products and the buyers. You might be surprised about what you can learn in those conversations.
Wise
When it comes to money, take the long view, if possible. Everyone wants to show quarterly profits, but if you increase short-term earnings by cutting corners on staffing and materials that staff need to get their work done, you and your company will ultimately end up being penny wise and pound foolish.
Leaders can truly make or break a company. You have a lifelong responsibility to learn as much as possible about what it means to be a successful leader. Continue your education and do everything in your power to learn more about the nuts and bolts of effective and dynamic leadership.