Only 10 percent of people are natural-born leaders, contributing to the fact that 77 percent of businesses report a lack of leadership within their organisation. If you are looking to grow your company and sustain its success, learning how to lead is vital.
These five tips have helped me, both in terms of my personal growth and professional success:
Stay positive
Successful businesses are similar to elite sports teams; strong leadership starts at the top of the organisation and trickles down to the bottom.
Even in the worst of times, stay focused on the best – regardless of what the circumstances are.
Research has shown that if you point out things you’re happy within a problematic situation, you’ll feel less strongly about the issue at hand and be better equipped to strategically solve it.
As a leader, if you notice an aspect of your business isn’t reaping any benefits, identify what has worked in the past to reshape your strategy. By focusing on solutions, instead of problems, you can help your team maintain positive engagement and maximise their output.
Honest communication
Speaking of maintaining positive engagement, an essential element of strong leadership is creating an open line of communication with team members – and keeping it open.
Take Michael Jordan, for example, who is known as one of the greatest athletes of all time and once said “earn your leadership every day”.
Yes, his talent, hard work, and determination are what helped the Chicago Bulls win multiple championships during the 1990s, but he also understood that his team’s success and camaraderie were largely predicated on his ability to lead, inspire, and communicate.
If you’re responsible for a team, being direct is equally as important as it is necessary. Your employees must trust your leadership to believe in your vision for the organisation and perform to the best of their ability. If they can freely approach you to have personal or professional conversations, organisational success and inspired employees will follow.
Encourage growth
In past decades, people worked decades for the same company. Today, the average employee stays with an employer for just over four years. By committing to your team’s personal and professional growth, and giving them the freedom to creatively work, you’ll be more likely to retain motivated talent.
Every employee is different, so ask each one what their objectives are and create plans that help them achieve those goals. Set aside a budget that is dedicated to the growth of employees via online training or in-person workshops to uplevel their skillset.
You may find yourself surprised at how much an employee can accomplish when they’re able to learn and grow. On top of demonstrating excellent leadership skills, and keeping your employees content, your business will also benefit.
When an employee leaves, it can be costly. Turnover results in additional costs to onboard new employees and time to catch them up to speed. Moreover, if your company cannot retain talent, your organisation’s reputation in the market will suffer and lead to further complications.
Reward Performance
An essential quality of a good leader is knowing that recognising an employee’s efforts and rewarding them accordingly will motivate performance. It is no surprise that happy people perform better at work.
Performance awards and financial incentives are one way of keeping your employees both happy and productive. Another strategy is taking your employees on team trips and outings, either locally or internationally. Not only will employees feel appreciated, but this will also contribute to building team camaraderie and enhancing your organisation’s overall work culture.
Embrace change
Research shows that a primary leadership challenge among senior executives is managing change.
Leaders who can effectively navigate the unexpected, are the ablest to succeed. This was particularly true during COVID-19 as industries of all types were impacted on a global scale; the companies that were able to manage these challenges are still standing today.
As the expression goes “the only constant is change”, so, if you aim to be a strong leader you must be willing to innovate both in a proactive and reactive capacity.