"You manage things; you lead people." – Grace Murray Hopper
Think of the leader who made the biggest impact on your career. Chances are, it wasn't their knowledge or strictness that stood out; it was how they made you feel valued, heard, and motivated to give your best. That's the kind of leadership that matters most, yet many find themselves stuck managing tasks rather than truly leading their people.
Effective leaders do more than delegate tasks to their employees. They motivate, inspire, and create a productive work environment where their team members feel valued and eager to contribute. This article will uncover actionable strategies to elevate your leadership skills. Drawing insights from 'Dare to Lead' and 'Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't,' you'll grasp how to build trust, foster collaboration, and guide your team toward shared success.
Why strong leadership drives team success
Many people underestimate the importance of leadership. Strong leadership is beneficial not only to an organization's success but also to employee satisfaction. First, let's examine some statistics that highlight the crucial role of leadership in a company or organization:
According to a Gallup study, employees who work under open and accessible leaders show higher workplace engagement. However, 50% of respondents report leaving their jobs due to poor leadership.
A study by Apollotechnical shows that 80% of employees say that changing their immediate supervisor affects their stress levels.
Before discussing the main leadership qualities, let's explore what the best managers can do. In 'Dare to Lead,' research professor Brené Brown, PhD, discusses why strong leaders are integral to achieving organizational goals:
Better communication
True leaders encourage open communication throughout the workplace. They emphasize transparency and clarity, which are essential for effective teamwork. When leaders cultivate a safe and inclusive environment, every employee feels empowered to contribute. As a result, team members feel heard and valued, leading to increased job satisfaction, creativity, and collaboration.
Corporate culture
According to 'Leaders Eat Last' by Simon Sinek, leadership directly affects the corporate culture and workplace atmosphere. This environment influences productivity and staff retention.
High productivity
Productivity often arises from how well people collaborate and work together as a team, not separately. Influential leaders direct this process, from automating work to empowering collaboration between departments.
Improve efficiency
These leaders effectively delegate tasks based on individual talents and strengths. They're also open to introducing new approaches and methods.
Vision
An effective leader creates a vision and sets the direction for their employees. This method is crucial for future success, as setting goals serves as a roadmap for processes at all levels.
What makes a manager great: Top 10 strong leadership qualities
What does it take to be a good manager? Expertise in a particular field isn't enough for a team manager to do their best work. Nowadays, being a true leader means developing soft skills that help a team of people achieve clear goals. Let's explore the nature of leadership and the most essential leadership skills.
1. Taking care of the success and well-being of employees
"The true price of leadership is the willingness to place the needs of others above your own. Great leaders truly care about those they are privileged to lead and understand that the true cost of the leadership privilege comes at the expense of self-interest." ― Simon Sinek, 'Leaders Eat Last'
Google research found that creating a "psychologically safe" environment is fundamental to team effectiveness. When employees feel safe, they're not afraid to take risks, ask questions, or propose new ideas.
2. Being a good listener
Being more than just a boss calls for being a good communicator. First, managers must develop genuine listening skills to understand their employees and show empathy. Always remember that information is power.
Active listening and empathy should be a focus. While a poor leader hears, a good leader listens. This distinction makes all the difference. Whether someone comes with a question or a suggestion, effective leaders listen attentively and acknowledge initiative."
Daring leaders work to make sure people can be themselves and feel a sense of belonging." ― Brené Brown, 'Dare to Lead'
To become a better listener:
Learn to listen carefully, paying attention to words and nonverbal cues (gestures, facial expressions, tone).
Paraphrase what you heard to confirm that you understood everything correctly: "As I understand it, you are saying that…" This way, you and the other person will be sure you are on the same page.
Receive feedback from your team members. This method will help you understand how your words are perceived and what can be improved.
Tailor your feedback approach to each person's characteristics. What is an incentive for development for one person may be perceived as criticism by another.
3. Confident decision-making
Don't be impulsive; instead, be decisive. Start by gathering the facts and listening to the employees' perspectives before making a decision that will move the company forward. Not everyone will agree with every decision, but that's part of leadership.
Responsibility is an essential factor in decision-making, which can play an additional role depending on the work style. Thus, in an authoritarian style, the leader bears full responsibility when making decisions alone. A democratic style shares responsibility through team participation. In contrast, a liberal style distributes responsibility for the decision-making across the group, with the leader mainly confirming the decision made by the majority.
4. Expanding employee responsibilities and not micromanaging
"It is a leader's job instead to take responsibility for the success of each crew member. The leader's job is to ensure that they are well trained and feel confident to perform their duties. To give them responsibility and hold them accountable to advance the mission." ― Simon Sinek, 'Leaders Eat Last Deluxe'
Micromanagement is a management style that involves controlling every step of an employee. When this happens, the team or employees cannot make independent decisions. This behavior of the manager may be self-doubt or insufficient team management skills.
Instead, empower employees by giving them the freedom they desire. Encourage them to experiment with their ideas, take risks, and learn from their mistakes. For instance, offering flexible schedules shows trust in the team's ability to manage their time effectively.
Listening to each team member is essential; take their suggestions and needs into account. When providing feedback, be specific, clear, and development-focused rather than critical to address weaknesses and promote professional growth properly.
5. Being a solution-oriented professional and critical thinker
"Choose courage over comfort." ― Brené Brown, 'Dare to Lead'
Questions are often directed to the leader first. Whether it is a conflict, a new idea, or a creative proposal, another quality of a good manager includes the ability to solve problems and think critically.
It is vital to approach difficult situations analytically and identify potential solutions. Taking action in such circumstances will inspire employees to be more innovative and creative.
6. Strong communication skills
"A conscious leader needs to be actively appreciative. We can be tough leaders at times, we can and should be strong, but at the end of the day, human beings respond best to care and appreciation. It's important to remember that in business, everything we accomplish is ultimately done with and through other people. That is what conscious leaders do—we inspire, motivate, develop, and lead others." – John Mackey, 'Conscious Leadership: Elevating Humanity Through Business'
All effective managers form the link between the company and its employees. Leaders must formulate their thoughts, effectively convey instructions, and concisely convey all the task details.
Empathy is a powerful leadership trait because it helps you better understand others' perspectives. That includes resolving conflicts and finding common ground.
Clear and structured communication in both speech and writing is crucial for effective leadership. A good leader carefully chooses their words when speaking to team members, during meetings, or sending emails. Misunderstandings can cause delays and errors, so using appropriate wording and style for different situations is essential.
Effective communication fosters employee engagement in a productive, open environment where everyone can contribute. Employees must feel safe when making suggestions or asking questions, which comes with trust, time, and concrete actions. Leaders need strong self-awareness and an analytical mindset to create such an environment.
"I always bring my core values to feedback conversations. I specifically bring courage, which means that I don't choose comfort over being respectful and honest—choosing politeness over respect is not respectful." ― Brené Brown, 'Dare to Lead'
7. Developing emotional intelligence to empower your management style
"Neuroscientist Antonio Damasio reminds us, "We are not necessarily thinking machines. We are feeling machines that think." ― Brené Brown, 'Dare to Lead'
Emotional intelligence is another key trait of an effective leader. This quality includes empathy for others and understanding and managing your emotions.
Self-awareness and self-regulation
A great leader requires self-awareness and a critical approach to your actions and words. It does not mean being overly critical. Rather, recognize that your actions and reactions directly affect the culture and productivity of the team.
Understanding people's emotions and motivations is the basis for building relationships, fostering cooperation, and resolving conflicts.
Empathy and understanding the emotions of others
A leader must be sensitive and understanding to build and develop relationships. This trait involves active listening, careful analysis, and decisive action. There should be a healthy balance between empathy and maintaining a leadership presence.
When managers show genuine empathy, employees are more likely to stay with the company and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
How can a leader use empathy in their work?
More often, put yourself in the employee's position and ask, "How would I feel if I were them?"
Directly ask employees about their concerns and career goals.
Respond to employees' difficulties and help.
8. Adaptability and flexibility
"The role of a leader is not to come up with all the great ideas. The role of a leader is to create an environment in which great ideas can happen." ― Simon Sinek, 'Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action'
What distinguishes good leaders from bad ones is their flexible thinking and openness to change. They are fearless when changing something and do not cling to inefficient and old working methods. If there is something that needs improvement, they do so. A true leader must be prepared for unexpected events and situations. Qualities of a successful manager in this regard include:
Embracing change and uncertainty
Staying open to new ideas and welcoming regular feedback
Acting decisively and quickly in stressful situations
Working well under pressure and inspiring trust in others
Adjusting strategies and plans to suit changing circumstances
Leaders must be on the front lines of change, so they must have a healthy sense of self-esteem and determination.
9. Being a good mentor
"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." ― Simon Sinek, 'Leaders Eat Last'
The best leaders use problems as learning opportunities, freely share insights, and actively seek their team members' perspectives on problems. As a result, the team learns and grows. A leader provides constructive feedback and listens to employees. It is not just direct reports on good work but describing what made someone's performance successful. Additionally, leaders create opportunities for professional development and learning. Regular check-ins and feedback inspire others to work harder and reach their potential.
10. Sticking to your priorities
"If you have more than three priorities, you have no priorities." ― Brené Brown, 'Dare to Lead'
When it comes to priorities and time management, it's crucial to remember to stick to your priorities. Most managers can easily list countless distractions that pop up during the workday. As a manager, you can't eliminate all interruptions, but you can manage them more effectively. Set clear boundaries for yourself and your team. For example, you could check your email only twice daily and handle all urgent emails immediately instead of "tagging" and leaving them for later. Another idea is to schedule a "no interruptions" period in your calendar. This method can do wonders for your productivity if you dedicate it to focused work.
What a leader of today should reflect
The modern workplace requires managers who can adapt to change, nurture their teams, communicate effectively, and foster employee development to achieve business goals. Line managers often need additional leadership and people management skills.
This issue is highlighted in the 2022 LinkedIn report, 'The Transformation of L&D': In 2022, nearly half of all training programs (49%) focused on developing management competencies. In 2024, "human skills" showed the highest growth rate among L&D professionals worldwide, which is especially important in this AI-driven era.
In today's dynamic and often changing business environment, managers and leaders constantly face challenges that test their leadership qualities and strategic insight. Staying one step ahead requires developing flexibility, forecasting capabilities, and practical time management skills. Modern leaders must be adaptable. It is not an easy task, but the ability to quickly develop new strategies, products, or services and identify growth opportunities helps maintain resilience during difficult times.
"Innovation is not born from the dream, innovation is born from the struggle." ― Simon Sinek, 'Start with Why'
The performance management process consists of several key stages, each of which plays a vital role in ensuring the adequate performance of tasks:
Goal setting: Start by defining specific, measurable, achievable, and relevant (SMART) goals with clear timelines for each employee.
Development planning: Help employees develop plans to improve their professional skills and competencies through activities such as training and coaching.
Regular monitoring: Keep track of task performance to identify and address problems on time and take necessary measures to solve them. This includes regular one-on-one meetings with employees to discuss their progress.
Performance reviews: Provide constructive feedback with recommendations for further improvement.
With the rise of remote work, effective communication has become essential. Leaders must find new ways to engage team members who might feel isolated and disconnected in working environments.
Whether you're a new manager or an experienced one, incorporate learning into your daily routine to grow your leadership skills and be on top. This approach may involve reading management literature, participating in webinars, or enrolling in online courses. Stay curious and continually seek out learning opportunities.
Take care of yourself and get resources
"Returning from work feeling inspired, safe, fulfilled and grateful is a natural human right to which we are all entitled and not a modern luxury that only a few lucky ones are able to find." ― Simon Sinek, 'Leaders Eat Last'
Overworking can harm your well-being and personal life. If you spend most of your time working, you risk burnout and decreased productivity. That's why it's crucial to maintain a work-life balance. Remember that you are the source of motivation, optimism, ideas, and inspiration for your employees.
Do activities to care for yourself, like getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, spending more time outdoors, and exercising regularly. It's crucial to find a balance between work and personal life. If you ever feel overwhelmed or on the verge of burnout, consider taking a vacation — ideally without your laptop. This can significantly help you avoid burnout.
The following rules can help you be active at work:
Taking regular short (5-10 minutes) breaks every few hours to get away from your computer or workplace.
Performing breathing exercises or meditation daily to calm the mind and reduce stress.
Doing a sport you enjoy for at least 30 minutes daily to maintain a healthy body.
Take your leadership skills to the next level with Headway
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