Leadership skills and traits, those that produce good leaders, are not just something you’re born with explains Peter Decaprio. Rather, these skills can be developed over time if you know how to go about it the right way.
Here are 10 ways to become a better leader at work:
1) LISTEN
One of the most important skills as a leader is being able to understand what your employees need or want from them. Whether you have employees who report directly to your desk or subordinates who perform tasks across the office – make sure you listen to what they say and respond accordingly. A simple ‘thank you goes a long way too!
2) DON’T GIVE TOO MANY DIRTY JOBS
Everyone starts his/her career with general cleaning duties – sweeping, wiping and mopping. But as time goes by and your employees grow within the company, they don’t want to be stuck with these jobs anymore. As a leader, you need to help them grow and evolve; ensure that their growth is linked to the growth of your organization.
3) SPEAK AND ACT YOUR MINDS
There’s no point having thoughts gnawing away inside your brain. If you think something, speak up about it as good leaders do not keep things bottled up inside them! This skill will go a long way in keeping your employees happy too says Peter Decaprio.
4) TURN ON THE FLOW OF INFORMATION
Good leaders make sure information flows freely within the organization, from top to bottom for the effective performance of tasks. You can’t become a good leader if you have poor communication skills which result in a lack of information flow.
5) TAKE LEADERSHIP STYLE QUOTIENT TEST
Asking employees about their workplace problems and turning those problems into opportunities is what makes a great leader. So, it’s time you stop taking things at face value and actually do something about them! Tools like LSPQ will help you identify leadership traits that need correcting explains Peter Decaprio.
6) TACKLE INDIVIDUAL ISSUES BY YOURSELF
Once a problem arises within your team or organization – always deal with those issues personally as opposed to delegating those tasks to someone else. It’s important to take action as soon as possible – that way, you will have control over the situation and your team will know that there is someone who cares about them.
7) GIVE FEEDBACK ON PERFORMANCE REGULARLY
As a leader it’s important you keep track of employee performance and give feedback accordingly. You can’t expect your employees to improve if you don’t provide them with necessary feedback from time to time! So, do away with bi-annual or yearly performance reports and go for more frequent ones instead!
8) REWARD YOUR EMPLOYEES WHEN THEY ARE GOOD
Everyone works towards achieving something; even your employees want to be appreciated when they work hard on tasks and achieve results. However, it’s you as a leader who should appreciate and boost their morale to bring out the best in them!
9) DON’T BRING IN MISTAKES OF OTHERS
Everyone makes mistakes; including your employees. Don’t expect them to cover up for those mistakes or blame others as that will create a toxic work environment where no one wants to take responsibility for anything. So, be lenient and focus on improvement instead of punishment.
10) TALK IN COLLOQUIAL LANGUAGE IF NECESSARY
Don’t get intimidated by other managers and always speak your mind if you feel you need to. Be friendly and use casual language with your employees too – good leaders know when to be serious and when to lighten up says Peter Decaprio.
So, if you are looking for ways on how you can become a better leader at work – make sure you follow these tips!
Conclusion:
With the market constantly changing, it’s important for leaders to evolve too. You can’t expect your employees to have the same level of enthusiasm as they had when you first joined the company – because that would be unfair. So, keep these tips in mind and become a better leader today!
Sigma Q has developed LSPQ (Leadership Style Personality Questionnaire) which helps leaders understand their style of leadership through comprehensive analysis. This short test helps them discover what kind of leader they are actually meant to be at the workplace.
