7 Strategies to Improve Your Leadership Qualities
1. Have a cheerful outlook.
Even while team leaders would like everything to go perfectly every time, they will inevitably encounter difficulties from time to time. The way you respond to a difficult circumstance, regardless of the severity of the misunderstanding or error, speaks volumes about your leadership abilities.
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The author of The Measure of a Leader (iUniverse, 2013), Robert Mann, advised emphasizing the positive aspects of each situation. Before determining what makes a situation unsatisfactory, consider three good aspects of it. People react more positively to one another when you focus on the positive aspects of an issue, he added.
In his research, Mann discovered that people are better able to think clearly and solve problems when they identify positive aspects of a difficult circumstance. This helps people feel less passionately about the issue at hand. This also holds true for leaders who need to adjust their approach. Determine what you’ve done in the past that has worked if you or a team member observes that a certain course of action you’ve chosen isn’t working.
Patoliya went on to say that keeping your team’s involvement positive may be achieved by concentrating on solutions rather than issues. An engaged and effective staff is more likely to be produced in a favorable atmosphere. A competent leader will recognize the influence they can have in their workplace by exhibiting confidence and excitement, the speaker added.
2. Train staff members rather than dictating to them.
Instead of just telling people what they need to do, a skilled leader knows how to demonstrate it to them. Former president and current partner Luke Iorio of the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) advised executives to teach, not persuade, their team members toward a more dedicated, collaborative work environment.
“You won’t get the level of engagement you’re looking for if you are controlling people to do things in certain ways,” he stated. “The goal of coaching is to assist those under your direction in identifying the options that are available to them. Individuals will then have a significant amount of responsibility for the project’s course.
According to Rampton, effective leaders should foster growth by imparting knowledge rather than only giving commands to their subordinates. Individuals wouldn’t advance if leaders didn’t impart any knowledge. In order to develop future leaders who can succeed them, leaders must also be educators.
3. Clearly define objectives and goals for employees.
The secret to employee success is having clear expectations and goals for your team. Encourage staff inquiries and input in establishing these goals. Engagement may be raised by involving team members in the goal-setting process.
According to ALTR Inc. founder Amish Shah, effective leaders will communicate the company’s vision and how team members’ objectives fit into it.
“A leader must inform their team about their vision in order to inspire and motivate them,” he stated. This aids in the comprehension of the goal that the workforce is striving toward collectively. Everyone is able to monitor development and recognize accomplishments in a concrete way when goals are established.
Ohlrich further emphasized the significance of outlining how these objectives affect the company as a whole. All employees, she added, should be able to explain how their job contributes to the company’s success, regardless of their level of seniority.
Team members should not have stagnant ambitions. Review goals on a regular basis and adjust or reorganize them as necessary. Your team members will know that you are paying attention and are aware of their job if you do this.
4. Provide candid performance criticism.
The greatest method to steer your staff in the right direction, according to Taso Du Val, co-founder and CEO of the Toptal freelance talent network, is to provide them with straight, honest feedback—even if it’s criticism. To properly counsel staff, you must also be aware of the precise direction your company is taking.
According to Du Val, “people won’t be able to improve if you’re not direct with them about what you really think about them and their work.” “No matter how much you’ve told your leadership team and staff about their individual success, if you don’t know exactly where your business is heading, they won’t know how to make decisions or take action. Deadlines, recurring product plans, performance evaluations, structure, and procedures are all simply implemented once those fundamentals are established.
Aside from giving constructive criticism and conducting performance evaluations, emphasize the achievements of your staff members. Inform a team member when they do something outstanding. Honor their accomplishments and express gratitude for their efforts.
Positive reinforcement will foster a productive atmosphere, according to Shah. “Rewarding accomplishments with specific examples of how they benefit the company, as opposed to just giving someone a pat on the back, is not only motivating, but it also improves performance over time.”
5. Request criticism about your leadership style.
It’s not just your teammates who may gain from candid criticism. Since it can be challenging to honestly evaluate your own leadership, colleagues, mentors, and even your own employees can be a great resource in determining your performance. Speaking with friends and peers will help you gain the essential perspective on your leadership strategy and style, according to St. Marie.
You can identify your areas of need for improvement with the aid of leadership coaching. More motivation may be found in a professional who assists you in creating a strategy to accomplish your leadership objectives than in books and seminars by themselves.
According to Iorio, “coaching enables leaders to draw the connection and apply [changes] in a real-life setting.” “You won’t have lasting change until you take the necessary time to integrate, analyze, and reflect.”
Fazlyev concurred, pointing out that you may gain important knowledge from your team about what is and is not working as well as the challenges you have in achieving your goals.
6. Have a receptive mind.
Emotionally intelligent leaders are able to recognize and embrace the fact that change is unavoidable. Seek innovation and change rather than clinging to the status quo for the sake of consistency. Be receptive to fresh perspectives and other ways of thinking. Everybody has a different viewpoint to offer, and rather than becoming discouraged, we should embrace that.
“You truly embrace every possibility and potential when you’re open to hearing what the talented people around you have to say,” stated Shah. Follow through until the very finish. Recognize that mistakes will occur along the route, but before discarding something, attempt to determine why and how it didn’t work.
Encourage team members to contribute their perspectives when resolving an issue. True creativity, engagement, and success may arise when staff members feel free to freely contribute fresh perspectives to the discussion.
7. Recognize your own driving forces.
It will be evident if someone in a leadership position considers their work to be “just a job.” You need to be motivated in the proper way to lead effectively. Are you genuinely interested in inspiring others to achieve their best interests, or are money and reputation more important to you?
Asking yourself honestly why you want to lead is a good idea, St. Marie said to leaders. “I see being a leader as a privilege and a calling. You are undoubtedly starting from the correct place if you have a deep-seated conviction that being a leader would enable you to change the world.
Ohlrich stated that knowing what depletes your energy is just as important as knowing what inspires you. Understanding your advantages and disadvantages can help you build a more diverse team and a well-rounded skill set. It is beneficial to surround oneself with people who are different from you rather than hiring carbon clones of yourself.
Your interactions with employees are influenced by your leadership style, which is something you should consider as well. The most effective leaders are able to modify each of the nine leadership philosophies to fit their own circumstances and team members. You may evaluate your leadership skills by taking a brief leadership self-assessment test from the Leading With Courage Network if you’re in a leadership position but are unsure of where you rank on some of these attributes.
