Anyone can sit in an office and delegate tasks, but there is much more to being an effective leader. In one study, respondents cited these attributes as being synonymous with effective leadership: assertiveness, adaptability, intelligence and conscientiousness.
Effective leaders are transformational, they lead by example and are empowering for those they lead.
Here are 6 ways you can become a better leader in your workplace.
Teach instead of giving orders
When you act as a teacher to those around you by supporting and encouraging them in the development of their skills and abilities, they will begin to look up to you.
Luke Iorio, president and CEO of the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching, said leaders should coach their team members towards a more collaborative, committed work environment in an authentic way i.e. without coaxing them.
“If you are controlling people to do certain things in certain ways, you’re not going to get the level of engagement that you’re looking for,” he said. “Coaching is about helping the people you lead recognise the choices they have in front of them. People will take a great deal of ownership over the direction of the project.”
As opposed to simply barking orders at team members, good leaders should encourage growth by teaching.
Practice what you preach
Being an effective leader has a lot to do with gaining the trust and respect of those you’re aiming to lead. Your followers, students or employees are more likely to listen to you if they believe you have integrity in your words and actions.
Transformational leaders exemplify the behaviors and characteristics that they encourage in their followers. They walk the walk and talk the talk. As a result, group members admire these leaders and work to emulate these behaviors.
Research suggests that leaders are able to foster a specific belief and then transmit that inspiration to their followers. As a result, followers are optimistic and have high standards for performance and achievement.
Keep your cool
You need to expect the unexpected. “Rule Number 1,” according to Jamie Moldafsky, CMO of Wells Fargo, “is that you don’t get to pick your crisis. You have to be ready.”
You might not be able to control what people say about you. But there is one thing you can control: yourself. According to Jamie Moldafsky, “A crisis is a crisis. It’s all about how you handle it. And that’s within every leader’s control.” Get comfortable with being uncomfortable, because putting out fires is part of your role.
Have humility
Larry Bossidy, the former CEO of Honeywell and author of the book Execution, explained, “The more you can contain your ego, the more realistic you are about your problems. You learn how to listen, and admit that you don’t know all the answers. You exhibit the attitude that you can learn from anyone at any time. Your pride doesn’t get in the way of gathering the information you need to achieve the best results. It doesn’t keep you from sharing the credit that needs to be shared. Humility allows you to acknowledge your mistakes.”
Being a great leader means raising your team up to succeed. This means admitting when someone knows more than you and giving them the opportunity to take initiative. It means being conscious of your power, but never letting it get the best of you.
When people see you are the type of leader who gets them opportunities that others don’t, they’ll be more willing to be led by you.
You need to be good with people
Today, everything is about being connected and networking. Leaders are no longer operating in isolated, hierarchical environments, leaders must now thrive in a hybrid atmosphere that’s fluid, complex and constantly changing. Connecting and collaborating intensively across the organization is necessary for success.
Leaders who collaborate effectively will place team needs and priorities above personal needs and priorities, and they actively foster synergy within the team and across teams. Successful leaders actively involve others in making decisions that affect them and, likewise, they give credit to others where credit is due.
Have self-awareness
Great leaders are effectively self-aware. You need to understand how your behaviour, words, actions and even body language impact others. You should also seek feedback on your leadership and take on board the opinions of those around you if they think something could be done better.
Being an effective leader doesn’t mean always having the right answer. It means lifting up those around you. And through this, they will want to be led by you.
