No matter your level of leadership or how long you’ve been in your position, it is important for all leaders to strive to become a better leader. Different personalities respond to leadership styles differently, and learning how to address issues individually is an essential skill for leaders. While leaders can’t please everyone all the time, consistently striving to be a better leader and learning how to deal with different employees can go a long way in successfully running your organization. This article provides several useful strategies to help you become a better leader.
Business publications are constantly distributing articles related to becoming a better leader. While there are many great articles to choose from, this article focuses on five that feature helpful information: The 9 Traits That Define Great Leadership, 6 Ways To Empower Your Employees With Transformational Leadership, 5 Ways to Be a Better Leader, 6 Painless Ways to Become a Better Boss, and 6 Ways Being Mindful Can Make You a Better Leader.
Continually learning different and new strategies for leadership is essential to becoming a better leader.
Be aware and decisive. According to an article on Inc.com, The 9 Traits That Define Great Leadership, great leaders are aware of the pecking order, understand their place, and use that knowledge to be decisive. It’s no secret that leaders are faced with tough decisions, so to be a better leader, you must understand the importance of making a decision, and standing by it, no matter the outcome, which is another important trait.
Show empathy and accountability. Two of the 9 traits stress the importance for leaders to understand their employees, as well as to show employees that they understand. And with that understanding, leaders need to show employees, as well as those above them, that they hold themselves accountable for all issues within their departments. Employees are more productive and more willing to come to you with questions if they know that you are willing to listen. And if you understand what’s going on with your employees, it will be easier for you to hold yourself and your team accountable.
Be confident, optimistic, and honest. The 9 Traits That Define Great Leadership also include being confident, optimistic, and honest about your performance, your employees, and your goals. These traits help employees to be more productive, and they show your leaders your dedication to your position. A good attitude goes a long way toward success, so show your team your good attitude and encourage your members to follow suit.
Encourage feedback. According to a recent Forbes.com article, 6 Ways To Empower Your Employees With Transformational Leadership, leaders are more successful when they encourage employees find solutions for themselves. One way to do that is for leaders to give timely and relevant feedback. Employees are learning how you would like tasks completed, and they are able to take those skills to future tasks.
Don’t be afraid to make changes. If something seemed to work on paper but doesn’t translate well in execution, 5 Ways to Be a Better Leader encourages leaders to make changes. Encourage your team to identify areas that are working well, as well as areas that can be improved, and brainstorm ideas that can lead to a more-effective process. Make changes that will help your team for the immediate future, as well as those that will be beneficial for the long term.
Reward employees. According to the article 6 Painless Ways to Become a Better Boss, it’s important for leaders to reward employees, as well as provide negative feedback. Only focusing on negative attributes can affect employee confidence and team morale, both of which are important for successful results. Motivate your team by providing incentives and rewards for exceptional work.
Be mindful. A recent article published on OpenForum.com, 6 Ways Being Mindful Can Make You a Better Leader, explained the meaning and importance of being a mindful leader. Being mindful means being present in the current moment and paying attention. This is an extremely important attribute for leaders because it means that you are receiving and understanding important pieces of information that are relevant to your business. You are then better equipped to use that information to complete tasks and reach goals.
Becoming a better leader should be a goal for leaders in all levels and all organizations. While it’s impossible to please every employee in every situation, it’s important to learn from these situations and grow as an individual and a leader.
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About TIGERS Success Series
TIGERS Success Series is an Oregon Team Building Consultant that has been helping leaders build high performance teams and cooperative work communities for over 20 years. Using team building events, team building activities and a successful team development system that helps leaders track and measure the team development process, TIGERS Success Series also licenses and certifies others in the use of award winning team development resources.
