Want to be an inspirational leader? This will help.
Are you getting the best out of your team?
Maybe you’ve read every leadership and management book out there, but still feel there’s room for improvement?
Well first, let me congratulate you. Being willing to learn, develop and improve as a leader takes guts. The ability to take an honest look at your leadership style and ask “Is there a better way of doing this?” shows confidence. It also shows that you’re invested in your company and your people, and want your business to be the best it can be – which is a brilliant place to start.
So how can we help you take your leadership from good to GREAT?
Consider this:
What if you shifted the focus of what you think a great leader is, to what your team thinks a great leader is?
There’s some interesting and valuable insight to share here courtesy of Gallup’s Q12 Team Engagement Survey. This is a tried-and-tested system developed over many years based on the feedback of 1000s of employees across the globe.
The leadership qualities with the biggest influence may surprise you.
Out of the 12 questions around team engagement, the biggest influencers were:
- Showing genuine concern for others
- The ability to communicate goals enthusiastically, gaining the confidence of external parties and being able to celebrate accomplishments
- Trusting others to make decisions and use their initiative
- Honesty, humility and being emotionally consistent (so the team doesn’t have to guess what mood you’re in today)
- The top performance driver was giving fair, accurate, informal feedback – i.e. feedback that is ‘in the moment’ substantiated by specific examples and relaying the positive impact it’s had.
How many of those qualities ring true for you? Are there areas for development, perhaps a different approach to try? If some of these don’t fit with your natural style, don’t panic! Here are some simple strategies to support effective leadership.
Bring a positive attitude to work
As a leader, your attitude is obvious and affects everyone around you. Coming to work positive and engaged will make a significant difference.
Make every interaction as positive as possible
A simple smile and a hello as you walk through the office, that’s a positive interaction. If you ignore your colleague as you walk by, that interaction may be seen as neutral or negative. Have a goal to create as many positive interactions as possible every day.
Communicate more often
Keeping others well-informed will help you be more inspiring. When your team doesn’t know important information, they become frustrated and see you as uninspiring.
Find a way to help direct reports or peers learn a new skill
People want to grow and develop new skills. Take time to learn the aspirations of others and help them develop new skills, this in itself will be inspiring.
Walk your talk
Be a role model. Don’t ask people to do anything you wouldn’t do yourself.
Create a positive team environment
Create a team that others want to be part of. Work hard to quickly resolve any conflicts. No one wants to be on a team where people are fighting or competing aggressively with other team members. Plan team-building activities to build greater camaraderie.
Need more support to take your business from good to great?
We’ll be delighted to help. Contact the team.