You will gain the respect of your employees when you show empathy and work hard to support their success. Leaders need to enable their circle in order for them to become leaders as well. The ability to delegate is critical to good leadership.
Avoid thinking people can read your thoughts. Clearly communicate what you expect in all aspects of the job and let your employees know they are free to come to you if they have any questions. You want your staff to feel comfortable seeking your advice and asking for clarification if they feel something is unclear.
Good leaders should focus on the future. You have to see what will happen and come up with an effective plan. Of course, you’re not always going to be right about the future, but over time you’ll get better at predicting things. Repeat to yourself what specific goals you have in mind for the upcoming year, then have a plan to accomplish them.
Make sure you are able to communicate the vision you have for your team. Try using the company’s mission to guide you and you should also put the company’s values into what you’re doing every day. Present your vision, but be sure to let your employees know how they can each contribute to achieving it. This will also help you find a direction and build stronger connections within your team.
Try being transparent when issues come up as often as you can. While covering up problems in business used to be typical, nowadays a leader will be open about them. How come? There are many different forms of communication today. There will be someone talking about the problem whether you wish for them to or not. So, why not be the person controlling the message instead of reacting to it? Good leaders know to go down this road.
Admit when you make a bad decision. Even the best leaders will make mistakes. A good leader would be able to admit guilt and be able to explain the problem to their employees. It shows that you’re a flawed human just like everybody else. It is okay even for leaders, and it will gain respect and loyalty.
Learn to listen. Being skilled at hearing what is being said is a great leadership skill to have. Really hear your employees when they speak. You need to hear both their praises and their concerns. Learn from each of your employees by hearing their feedback about buyers and products. You are sure to be amazed at what you will learn when you take the time to listen.
Be as approachable as you can. Some people think that a good leadership style should involve fear and intimidation. In fact, being intimidating will just make people respect you less. Make sure your team knows you are there to work with them.
If you are going to lead, you want to do it right. Understand all the things that make a bad leader, but know what it takes to be a good one. Seek out the right path, not the one that is always the easiest to follow. It’s up to you to make good choices.