If you’ve started a business from scratch or climbed the professional ladder from the very bottom step, you probably know the industry you work in like the back of your hand. Understanding as many areas of your business as possible is key to earning respect from your staff, there’s nothing worse than an employee being schooled by a manager that doesn’t really know what they are talking about.
Having a wide knowledge of the tasks at work isn’t the only skill you will need in order to become a good leader in the workplace, there are many other traits you’ll need to improve upon in order to gain the respect and admiration of your team. Have a look at the pointers below which will help you become a successful leader at work:
Communicate Clearly
Never assume your employees know what you’re talking about, so carefully explain tasks and objectives clearly without being patronizing. Give staff members the opportunity to ask questions and never dismiss what they have to say. Don’t always dictate how the working week is going to go. Although it’s great to provide guidance and outline goals, do try to encourage involvement from team members as well. Coming up with ideas and strategies as a collective will create a positive atmosphere within the workplace.
Listen to Your Employees
Give your employees a chance to be listened to and schedule in monthly review meetings with individuals. Not only will you be able to give feedback to your staff but you’ll be allowing them the opportunity to vocalize any concerns.
Be an approachable leader, and keep your office door open as much as possible. A good leader does not isolate themselves from the working group. Make sure any private discussions are kept confidential and follow up with any actions that need to be taken – your staff members will appreciate being heard.
Never Stop Learning
A good leader realizes there is always something new to learn and never assumes they have all the necessary knowledge in business. Unique challenges will always arise when managing a team of individuals, so it’s wise to continuously brush up on your leadership skills. If you’ve worked your way to the top but feel slightly out of your depth now you’re in charge, it might be worth investing in some further education such as an ms in operations management. This doesn’t mean you have to go back to university, as there are plenty of online resources available for you to use to your advantage.
Offer Rewards and Incentives
Having a positive leadership style will always motivate staff more than putting them down. If errors are made, don’t play the blame game, just acknowledge how it happened and focus on ways to improve things going forward. You want your team to work with you, not against you.
Always reward your staff at Christmas and introduce incentives throughout the year, it could be as simple as a meal out when a goal is achieved or something more substantial like a commission scheme. Either way, showing your appreciation to your staff won’t go unnoticed and will get you a long way.
