1. Encourage collaboration amongst departments, groups, and individuals
The role of a leader is to inspire the team to collaborate and finish the task at hand, according to Jennifer Hancock, a leadership coach and the creator of Humanist Learning Systems in Manatee County, Florida.
“If you are not focused on serving your team, you will not be leading them,” she says. “Leaders encourage, facilitate, and support.” They serve their team, not the other way around. Effective leadership, according to Hancock, requires taking the initiative to make decisions when the group is having trouble reaching a consensus. A leader acts as a tiebreaker to keep the team moving forward.
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Among the numerous potential benefits of cross-team collaboration are increased motivation, trust, transparency, and a greater sense of accountability.
2. Listen to what your employees have to say and accept criticism.
You may boost your employees’ sense of involvement and worth by actively listening to them, which will improve the company culture. According to Alex Onaindia, CEO of Miami marketing agency Distinction Agency, “as a leader, it’s more important than ever to have your finger on the pulse of your company because employees want their voices to be heard.” “Cultivating a culture of open communication and transparency is essential because sometimes the best ideas come to you in unexpected ways.” I genuinely believe that none of my team members’ suggestions are bad.
Create a Culture of Two-Dimensional Feedback
One of the most important aspects of good leadership is setting aside time to listen to your staff. Give employees opportunities to feel valued by:
conversing with individuals one-on-one. Ask them what they think of your management style and the company. An open-door approach will result in a more creative and productive workforce, despite initial reluctance from employees.
leading brainstorming sessions. Involve your employees and make knowledge creation more approachable. Leveling the playing field makes it easier for employees to give frank criticism in a variety of settings.
observing and putting into practice staff recommendations. Recognize employees and carry out their suggestions. When you have great ideas but don’t follow through, your relationships suffer.
3. Create an organizational vision and convey the “big picture.”
A clear vision and goals are established and continuously promoted for their teams by effective leaders. “Having a clear vision helps teams understand why their work is important,” says Carlos Castelán, Managing Director of The Navio Group, a Minneapolis-based retail business management consulting firm that works with top executives. “When people have clear goals, they can concentrate on their work and exercise autonomy in pursuing the company’s vision.” Reiterating the vision and goals helps employees remember how their work helps others and makes them feel like a part of the team.
To make your leadership vision effective, make sure it is precise, measurable, and goal-oriented. Reviewing your company’s growth strategy and looking for areas for improvement might also be a smart move.
4. Be More Open and Admit Your Weaknesses
Dr. Aaron Barth, the founder and president of Dialectic, a Guelph, Ontario-based HR and leadership consulting firm, claims that leaders can get so caught up in their organizations’ politics and upholding appearances that they lose sight of the fact that people are more interested in sincerity and honesty than in perfection. He goes on to say that “actively cultivating an environment where people can try, fail, and try again is what drives better problem-solving, innovation, and creativity.” “And the first step in doing that is for you, the team leader, to inform them of your errors.”
Being truthful and leading by example can help you gain the trust of your team and the organization as a whole. Ten years ago, workers would not have questioned a management decision taken in secret; now, they want their leaders to be transparent and honest. Staff members are demanding to know how and why decisions are being made, thus announcements and instructions are no longer enough. It’s more crucial to comprehend the benefits of communication and honesty in your business than to just spout anything comes to mind.
5. Create Relationships to Promote Joy
Establishing a healthy business culture and strong internal relationships from the start may be especially important for leaders. Over the first six months, “this may involve spending half of your time meeting with various team members and managers or traveling to other locations within the organization,” said Paul Maranville, Managing Partner of Lantern Partners, an executive recruiting firm with headquarters in Chicago. This will immediately position you as a visible and approachable team member. You will thus get more respected inside the organization and become known as a trustworthy authority in your industry.
Building sincere relationships among your team may boost productivity, culture, and turnover in the long run.
Techniques for Building Connections With Employees
Be considerate. If an employee is having trouble with their problems, provide them a helping hand.
Show appreciation. They devote a significant amount of time and effort to your business’s growth. Congratulate them and thank them for their efforts, but be genuine and not just for show.
Implement autonomy. Nobody enjoys not having enough space to do their task. Autonomy in the workplace has also been shown to increase job satisfaction.
6. Emphasis on Individual Development
Being a good leader also means teaching your team how to align their goals with those of the team or company. “A leader employing this style is sympathetic and motivating, and focuses on developing others for future success,” says Madineyah Isaacs, a life and leadership coach in New York City. Focusing on long-term life objectives and how they connect to the group’s mission may include engaging in in-depth conversations with coworkers on subjects unrelated to the task at hand.
7. Give Your Group a Lot of Credit
Taking the time to recognize the efforts and hard work of your team may have a significant impact, particularly when it comes to giving them credit that you might have otherwise taken for yourself. In fact, compliments and supportive comments can improve team spirit and communication.
“A true leader is at ease and understands that recognizing someone else’s efforts takes nothing away,” says Angela Civitella, founder and CEO of INTINDE, a leadership business coaching firm with headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
8. Keep Your Words
If you’re attempting to motivate your staff, it may be simple to start making promises about things like compensation, rewards, or opportunities for career progression, according to Andrea Angelucci, Manager of COMPASS Services at Mazzitti & Sullivan EAP in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. “But if you can’t deliver, these empty promises will only serve to erode the trust between you and your direct reports,” she continues. “Assign tasks only when you are positive you can complete them.”
9. Energize Your Team
In terms of load, every endeavor has its share of highs and lows. According to Juliana Stancampiano, CEO of Oxygen, a Seattle-based organization that focuses on workplace education and enablement, effective leaders must thus manage a team’s energy across a range of situations. She claims that “leaders create and maintain an atmosphere where team members can come, share their thoughts, disagree, and come up with a solution.” They always bring energy back to a positive level, defuse tension when it arises, and allow it to intensify if needed. If you want your team to continuously do outstanding work without losing people, this is crucial.
It’s also critical to identify the unique energy, abilities, and interests of each team member. If you can keep that energy flowing as a team, you could see an improvement in efficiency, trust, and buy-in.