This blog was originally posted on JasonWalkerPhD.com
A business that possess strong leaders, is a business that is set up for success. To be a good leader, there are specific skills that will help you become the leader your team needs and the leader you know you can become. As always do what’s right not what’s easy. Below are five keys components that are essential to becoming an effective leader.
Communicate
Perhaps the most overlooked key to being an active leader is becoming an effective communicator first. While it may seem obvious, a leader needs to communicate with their team on a daily basis. In the workplace we often find management getting wrapped up in their work and putting the rest of the team to the side. However busy you get, remember to communicate with your team to ensure that everyone is on the same page and up to date the latest news and developments.
Acknowledge Achievements
Every employee wants to know if they are doing a good job at work. As a leader, you should recognize when an employee excels expectations. Far too often, managers do not praise their employees enough. Appreciating and recognizing the work of others helps to confirm that their work contains value. When employees and their work are valued, employees’ satisfaction and productivity rise. Thus making the employee more motivated to produce quality work.
Set Goals
Setting goals in the workplace help to provide direction and purpose. Not only that, they help encourage your employees to work towards obtaining the goals of the organization. Setting goals and monitoring the progress of those goals will help your team gain motivation to increase their focus and efforts while decreasing in on-the-job leisure.
Set An Example
Employees look to their management team as an example of how they should act. As a leader, you will want to live up to the expectations you set. If you want to encourage your employees to arrive on time, get to the office 10 minutes earlier rather than showing up 30 minutes late. When the time comes to reprimand a team member for committing an unwanted action, it will seem hypocritical of you to hand out punishment when you are just as guilty.
Delegate With Confidence
A significant skill that any leader must learn is how to delegate. A good leader needs to identify team members’ strengths and weaknesses and find the area where they will bring the most success to the team. While delegation is essential, a great leader must keep in mind that they do not need to control every action. Delegating out responsibility is supposed to help your workplace run more efficiently and build your employees’ work skills.
All in all, be a leader who your team can respect and recognize for outstanding characteristics. By keeping these five key components in mind, it will ensure success on your journey in leadership.
