Steps to Becoming a Better Boss
A Swedish study showed a decrease in heart attacks in people with better bosses. Becoming a better leader is not difficult, but takes dedication to continuous improvement. Read on for five steps to increasing your leadership skills – It could save a life!
Enjoy!
Gary
People are the foundation of all successful businesses. Those people look to their leaders for direction and inspiration. Unfortunately, not all leaders are created equal. Effective management techniques can be taught in a classroom, but it is not until one is in the position of leading a team that those skills are put to use. Translating book knowledge into real world experience is not easy, especially when you add the human factor of employees.
Even the most tenured leaders need to spend time honing their craft. The result is a happier, more engaged and trusting team. Becoming a better boss will benefit everyone involved.
There are five steps to increasing leadership skills.
1. Treat others as you wish to be treated. This basic moral is the mantra of all great leaders. To gain respect, you need to give it. Compliment team members in front of the group. Focus on positives instead of complaining about negatives. Solicit feedback from the team on solutions to problems. Most importantly, don’t be a bully! Nine out of ten people have dealt with a bully boss. Over time others in and out of the group will begin to mirror this behavior, which will have a dramatic effect on the office culture.
2. Don’t be afraid to break a sweat. Too many managers hide away in their offices delegating behind closed doors. Jumping in to help with a project proves to the team that they are not alone. It also shows that they are not asked to do something that a manager would not do themselves.
3. Get to know each person as an individual. Show an interest in them personally and professionally. What are their goals? Passions? Finding a mutual interest can help open up the lines of communication and gain trust. Once a rapport is fostered, focus on their career. Encourage new learning opportunities. Let them know that they have a future at the organization.
4. Provide useful feedback. Insecure employees are less productive. Sharing frequent feedback allows the team to know if they are on target, or need to regroup before proceeding.
5. Invest in yourself. Leaders can suffer from low morale and burnout if they do not practice what they preach. Attending seminars, taking free or paid online classes or simply watching TED talks can help with both personal and professional development.
Great leaders make certain they are someone worth looking up to. They do not have hidden agendas and continuously strive to better themselves. In our next installment, we continue this discussion with a look at how trust impacts performance.
Gary Vice is sought out by leaders in Software and Services who recognize the need to attract the industry’s best talent. Through Strategic Recruiting Partners’ extensive network of relationships, they are able to identify high level opportunities for well qualified candidates. To discover how this process can benefit your job search, simply reply to this email or call Gary at 469.402.4008.