How to be an effective leader
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In business, some managers are good leaders and others are not so effective.
So how does a leader stand out from the crowd? What traits and habits do they have that make them a great leader? What do they do that makes their team want to work hard for the greater good?
Apart from bringing energy, passion and expertise into their everyday workplace, here are some must-haves for any great leader.
Coaching
Effective and consistent coaching for every member of your team should be a priority for all people managers. It empowers employees and allows them to take responsibility for their work and problem solving.
The CIPD states that:
“Although there's a lack of agreement among coaching professionals about precise definitions, there are some generally agreed characteristics of coaching in organisations:
- It's essentially a non-directive form of development.
- It focuses on improving performance and developing an individual.
- Personal factors may be included but the emphasis is on performance at work.
- Coaching activities have both organisational and individual goals.
- It provides people with the opportunity to better assess their strengths as well as their development areas.
- It's a skilled activity, which should be delivered by people who are trained to do so. This can be line managers and others trained in coaching skills.”
Through coaching, you can address your team’s weaknesses and help enhance their strengths. And by doing this, you drive the entire team’s productivity, job satisfaction and growth.
The best part about coaching is that it’s personally rewarding in terms of gaining intimate insight into your team. Through coaching, a leader gets to understand what their team can do and where there’s room for training to provide updated skills and knowledge.
Have your team’s back
It takes a true leader to stand up, take accountability and become the voice of their team.
A great leadership quality to have is being a good listener, so tune into your team and be available to talk about concerns or issues they have that need to be discussed with other areas of the organisation.
The best leaders will listen, say what needs to be said, and have necessary conversations regarding issues and concerns that really matter to their team – even if it’s not popular with other areas of the business. It’s human nature to want to feel supported and that someone’s ‘got your back’; speaking up for your team will earn you respect even if you don’t win every battle for them.
Inspire your people
Easier said than done, right? Your challenge as a leader is to ensure your team performs to the highest standards.
Inspiring even the best people can be hard at times – even those considered ‘top talent’ are known to operate within their comfort zone when they can.
Challenging your team by inspiring them in the right way will raise the bar over time, creating a cycle of continuous improvement and a sense of progression and success.
Open-door policy
Giving your people an open door to vent about their problems, frustrations and feedback can certainly help gain their trust and allow them to see you as a person, not just a boss.
Being available to your team also allows you to get to know them better and gives you insights into the roadblocks that obstruct their success.
If you work to remove just one roadblock that your team is struggling with, you’ll often see whole team improvement in terms of performance, productivity and results.
Transparency
People will naturally respond best to leadership from someone who has their best interests at heart, with genuine concern for their success.
Openness, transparency and honesty are essential for building a strong team. When your team knows you’ve got their back, they’ll take your words of inspiration seriously, rather than simply writing them off as leadership waffle.
If you’re open and honest with your team, your employees are far more likely to be open and honest with you. This will cement you as a leader who has gained the respect and trust of your team.
RELATED TERMS
Coaching differs from training in that it frequently focuses on a narrower range of abilities or jobs. This might be done as a part of personnel upskilling or performance management. Both internal trainers and outside coaches may carry out this task. Coaching occasionally includes assessments and performance feedback.
Shandel McAuliffe
Shandel has recently returned to Australia after working in the UK for eight years. Shandel's experience in the UK included over three years at the CIPD in their marketing, marcomms and events teams, followed by two plus years with The Adecco Group UK&I in marketing, PR, internal comms and project management. Cementing Shandel's experience in the HR industry, she was the head of content for Cezanne HR, a full-lifecycle HR software solution, for the two years prior to her return to Australia.
Shandel has previous experience as a copy writer, proofreader and copy editor, and a keen interest in HR, leadership and psychology. She's excited to be at the helm of HR Leader as its editor, bringing new and innovative ideas to the publication's audience, drawing on her time overseas and learning from experts closer to home in Australia.