In business, there is typically a corporate hierarchy and depending on the size of the company, you may have a CEO, directors, management and lastly, employees. This chain of command marks where decision-makers sit at the top according to status, power and job function.
Managers are the bridge between the top and the bottom levels. They are responsible for supervising and controlling the company’s day-to-day activities, and their success as a leader will dictate the productivity and satisfaction of the employees.
Are you an effective leader? This is a demanding role, and you need to be able to manage multiple people and departments effectively using various skills. Let’s go over how to lead a team in the business.
1. Leadership Development Programs
Being a leader requires a combination of skills and experience, and while you may be thriving in your role, there is always more to learn and grow in your position. A good leader strives to sharpen her talents and increase her professional capabilities.
Leadership development programs work to increase your personal and professional growth by training individuals to be more accountable, make better decisions and be more effective as a leader. You build competencies that aid in taking on the different challenges in your position and gain insight from those that have been there before, observing their expertise and experience. This is how to excel as a leader and get the most from your team while increasing employee morale and retention.
Being a leader is not for the faint of heart, so you must take on this role with all you have so you and your team can thrive. Use these strategies to lead your team toward success and build your skill set through experience and training. This will put you in a position where you are in demand.
2. Know Your Team Members
Leading from arm’s length can be tough because you may not know how each member works. We all have strengths and weaknesses, and some people struggle in their roles, so to be successful, you need to get to know each team member and find out how effective they are.
This allows you to create a bond and build respect with each individual so you can see where best to put them to thrive. Listen to their issues and give them solutions to benefit the entire team. Check in regularly and build that trust so they come to you when needed. One-on-ones are a great way to better understand your team members, and in this private setting, they can feel safe to bring up ideas, problems and any conflicts with other employees.
3. Delegate
As a leader, you are pulled in many directions. Depending on the size of your team and the project at hand, you have to assign tasks to empower others and get positive results. This allows team members to develop new skills and take on tasks they don’t have to do so they can focus their efforts elsewhere.
Make sure to pick those who can work independently but also function well in a group and decide if they can take on this additional responsibility. Offer them ongoing support in this role but allow their style to come through, not forcing them to do it only your way. You are still in control, but this flexibility allows individual talents to shine within the group and in their new roles.
4. Communicate
Leading isn’t just about instructing and implementing within your workforce, it is an opportunity to build relationships by listening and learning. To get the best out of your team, you need to be open to feedback and share methods together.
Communication is key because often, people work in bubbles and don’t engage with each other, much less with you as their leader. Creating a culture of conversation and discussion will build up the team and make people feel more valued.
Have an open door policy where staff can speak to you directly and bring the group in for a regular meeting, so everyone gets the same information at the same time and are up to date. Open up the discussion to allow for new ideas and struggles with the project to allow others to offer help and advice. The bottom line, be available and assessable to everyone on the team.
5. Reward Great Work
Your team is there to complete projects and achieve the desired outcomes in business, and everyone must contribute as equally as possible. When you see good work done, it should be recognized and rewarded. This boosts morale and drives individuals to want to do better.
This type of recognition can come in many different ways, including:
- Group acknowledgment
- Respect
- Praise
- Special privileges
- Paid time off
- Bonuses
- Promotions
- Group parties
- Catered lunches
- Team building activities
- Pay raises
A leader recognizes when the team needs a boost and is ready to reward them for their efforts. A leader must also address work that is not great and resolve issues that contribute to failures, lack of progress and poor performance.
