STANDARDS TO SUCCESSFUL LEADERSHIP
by: Remie Longbrake | published: April12, 2021
The COVID pandemic has presented a unique option for those interested in learning to be great leaders. In many ways, the new working environments and practices have been the ultimate training ground for great leaders. Unlike before, people are now working remotely; therefore, a different set of leadership tactics is required.
Currently, leaders have to deal with a lot of changes. Some of them have greatly affected the short and long-term goals of various businesses. Leadership has been put in the spotlight. As a leader, you will now be forced to take care of your workers, build relationships, and make use of technology in a way that you haven’t before. The skills that are being learned in this period will not only apply during the COVID pandemic. They are valuable skills that every leader of the future will need to possess. Let’s take a look at some essential standards for successful leadership.
Give Credit
It’s very easy to forget to give credit where it’s due in the workplace. This is an elementary practice, and not a lot of leaders pay attention to it. When things are done right, all the credit is given to the leader a lot of times. It’s essential to be genuine and transparent by giving credit to everyone who made it possible to achieve what you had set out to do. When you always give credit to others, your team will stay motivated, and they will feel appreciated.
Admitting mistakes
Unfortunately, many leaders allow their egos to stand in the way of admitting when they have done something wrong. You should understand that it is not your duty as a leader to always be right. As any great leader will tell you, everyone makes mistakes at one point or the other. It is that collective insight from bad decisions that will teach you valuable lessons necessary if you are to become a great leader. If you want to be a successful leader, you should be transparent enough with yourself and your team members to admit your mistakes. This way, others around you will benefit from what you would have learned.
Be empathetic to others
Empathy plays a significant role in business. An empathetic leader is able to improve their team members’ sense of wellbeing. This leads to a boost in productivity and increased innovation. As a result, the entire team will have a competitive edge within the marketplace. Another way to put it is that when a leader is empathetic towards those they lead, they will, in turn, be empathetic towards the leader’s cause.
Lead by example
Setting good examples is the best way to build credibility as a leader. If you consistently tell people to do something in a certain way, it would be beneficial if they could see you doing the same. If you demand a lot from those you lead, they should also see that you hold yourself to the same standards. If you manage to align your words with your actions, your team members will start trusting you and be more willing to follow your instructions to the dot.
Stay resilient in times of stress
It can be easy to believe that things will only go from bad to worse if you are in a weakened situation. In such times, as a leader, you need to find your balance and swim against the tide. This will help you and your team to recover and regain stability. As a leader, resilience will help you remain clear-headed and map your way forward even in difficult or stressful periods.
Take calculated risks
To be an effective leader, you need to make fast, difficult decisions with limited information. To do this effectively, you need to learn to take calculated risks. When facing tough decisions, you should start by determining first what you are trying to achieve. Next, try to consider the likely consequences of your chosen course of action, then check out if there are any available or better alternatives. That way, you can make your final decision with conviction.
Ask insightful questions
Successful leaders have mastered the art of asking insightful and inspiring questions. It might be easy to think that asking questions can make you seem like you don’t know what you are doing, but this can’t be further from the truth. Asking questions can get your team members to think outside the box, and it is a solid signal to others that you trust them.
Be open to criticism yourself
A great and successful leader should have humility. You also need a good balance of confidence, ownership, integrity and openness. This way, you can be open to trying new things and learning from them. When you are willing to try new things, you can also try to see things from other people’s perspectives, especially if they criticize you. You will be able to take criticism without getting offended, which is a good thing because you can’t always be right, even as a leader.
A leader who is comfortable in their skin and looks at the world as full of opportunities will be able to make full use of their team’s potential. On the other hand, if you can’t be corrected or can’t take criticism, your team members will remain quiet even when it’s apparent you are doing things wrongly.
Be willing to have difficult conversations
It’s essential that, as a leader, you understand that not every conversation will be fun. Difficult conversations will help you grow as a leader. They can be a perfect tool for when you need to deal with problem issues on your team. They are also crucial to indicate to your team that you can address toxic or low-performing members that affect team morale.
See what people need in order to improve the situation
Successful leaders understand that they must have all they need to move forward for their team members to give their best. As you communicate your goals and deadlines to the rest of the team, leave time to address their concerns and shortages. When people feel heard, they will have a sense of ownership over what they are doing. This will significantly improve productivity in the workplace.
Be willing to meet others halfway in order to accomplish productive outcomes
There will always be a tone of problems and issues to deal with. While sometimes your demand might demand too much from you as a leader, it’s crucial to not decline everything they request of you. Try and meet them halfway so that you can move forward without anyone feeling unimportant. It can be a problem if things are always done the way you say they should. Your team will end up filling as if they are just there to serve your agenda. Sometimes when people present you with problems, ask,
“What would you feel is the cause of the problem?”
“What steps do you feel could be contributed to a successful outcome?”
Induce dialog and discussion
Another quality of a good leader is communication. It is one of the most important. Being able to induce dialogue and discussion clearly and concisely is essential in any situation. If you can’t communicate effectively, it is almost impossible to work and achieve the same objectives with your team. Good leaders are those who cultivate an environment where discussions are easy and productive.
Collaborate to solve problems
The idea of having a team is so that you can work together to solve problems. Each member of your team has the potential to contribute something that can be part of the greater solution to whatever problem you will be facing. It is, therefore, important to constantly collaborate with other members of your team when you encounter problems.
Incorporate technology to meet and stay efficient
Nowadays, many new technological innovations aim to make work easier and ensure that business processes are efficient. To be a good leader, you need to be aware of these innovations and learn how to use them to your advantage. Technology makes everything more manageable, and it can significantly improve productivity if you learn to harness it well.
Use these steps to incorporate effective leadership with your team and ultimately yourself, as the leader starts within each of us.