People who stay with their employers are 37% more confident that they are building their skills. It’s often said that people leave managers, not companies, so here’s a clue for managers. Develop your people and they’ll stay with you.
Are you trying to be a better leader? What can you do to achieve your goal? Read on to learn how to be a better leader?
Self-Awareness
If you are exploring new territory, having a map is a useful tool. To use the map, you need to know a couple of things. You need to know where you’re going and where you are starting from.
Your leadership development journey is partly about working out where you’re going. You will need to discover what being a better leader is. You also need to know where you’re starting from.
Spend some time considering your strengths and limitations. Get some feedback from people, especially those you lead. You may find that your best route to your destination is to build on your strengths, rather than to agonize over your shortcomings.
Self-awareness isn’t a one-off activity. A habit of reflection will help you be more conscious. It’s an important characteristic of better leaders and key to continuous improvement.
Self Development
Help your people develop their skills and experience. This will engender loyalty and commitment. It will also improve their performance and your results.
But how do you get people to commit to learning? Not everybody is career-driven. Start by being a good example by committing to your own development.
Having a boss who is prepared to admit to shortcomings and to commit to self-development is an encouragement to do the same. If you want to be a more conscious leader, get a conscious leadership coach. Be a role model for your people.
Agree on Goals
Goal setting is part of the culture of many organizations. It’s a tried and tested way to improve performance. Better still, is agreeing on goals.
It might take some time. You might have to do a little listening rather than just telling. Working with your people to gain their agreement on goals means they are personally committed to achieving them.
What’s the benefit? They’ll spend more time checking how they’re doing, and doing something about it if there’s a problem. So, you won’t have to.
Situational Leadership
Better leadership might be better described as more appropriate leadership. Not everybody needs the same things from you. Your people’s leadership needs are situational.
Diagnose your people’s leadership needs. Assess whether they need direction, instruction, and training. Perhaps they need encouragement, support, or simply to be given the space to grow.
Stay flexible so you deliver the leadership people need, not the leadership you prefer or are good at.
Big Picture, Little Picture
You may be the lens through which your people experience the organization. Help them see the big picture.
Explain the corporate mission, vision, and strategy in ways they can relate to. Help them understand their part in it. Show them that they have an impact and make a contribution.
How to Be a Better Leader
Start the leadership development journey. Assess where you are now and set off in the direction of more conscious leadership. You’ll be glad you learned how to be a better leader, and so will your people.
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