All of us, occupying not the most key positions in a company or organization, as a rule, show dissatisfaction with these or those qualities and features of the behavior of our superiors. And, of course, each of us assures ourselves that, well, they would have been in their place, I would have been a good boss, in which employees don’t dare. However, upon reaching the desired position, fear engulfs us, and we are constantly asking ourselves the question of how to become a better leader. We offer today to understand what a real leader should be and what qualities he should possess.
How to become a good leader and lead people along?
Specialists identify several basic skills, possessing which, a person will be able to succeed in the position of boss. As a rule, in large organizations, they try to promote key positions to people who already have most of the necessary abilities. Missing skills will have to be developed in the process. We offer more details on each of them.
Employee motivation
A good leader is, first of all, a person who knows clear answers to the following questions. Why do your organization need these workers? What keeps them in your company and keeps them from competing? What makes employees stay in your organization even after difficult times? The talented boss, of course, understands that the reason here is not money at all. More precisely, not only they. There are many other reasons that you, as a leader, need to understand. Therefore, in order to be a good, class teacher, you must follow the recommendations:
- Remember that first of all we are driven by our values and self-respect. So, if you show respect for each of your employees, regardless of their position, you can be sure that the team will answer you with 100% return.
- As much as possible, talk with your employees heart-to-heart. Try to find out how much they like their daily work, whether they get satisfaction from it. This information will help you in the future.
- Offer your employees some benefits that are important to them. So, if your employees are concerned about their own health and fitness, then give them the opportunity to attend the gym. If the priority for them is the family, then let them take the children to school in the morning and pick them up for lunch. Believe me, people will appreciate your concern for them, which will have an exceptionally positive effect both on the microclimate in the team and on productivity and labor efficiency.
Setting goals
If you are wondering how to become a good manager of a sales department or another department or even an organization, then keep in mind that a very important aspect is the ability of the boss to clearly define the goals of the work. So, each employee must clearly understand what the boss expects of him. With specific goals, it will be easier for a person to focus on their current work. Therefore, clearly convey to each of the subordinates your expectations and the deadlines for completing tasks, and also explain what you will then do with the results and why you need them.
Job evaluation
Despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of people take criticism negatively, it is an integral element of a well-established work process. However, make every effort to explain to your employees: a conversation with a small assessment of the results of their work is by no means a reason to complain about their work. Set up a schedule for such discussions in advance so that employees can plan their time.
Delegation of responsibility
This item is one of the most important when talking about how to become a better leader. So, of course, if you become a boss, then you do your job well. However, this does not mean that you should do everything yourself. One of the manager’s tasks is to teach other employees to work well. You need to start small. For the first time, give subordinates tasks that in the event of incorrect execution can be easily fixed. Train your employees gradually and expand their capabilities. At the same time, consider their strengths and weaknesses and move on to more complex and responsible tasks. This will help your employees not only grow professionally, but also increase their value for the company.
Communication
The qualities of a good leader are inconceivable without sociability and openness to their subordinates. So, make it clear and periodically remind employees that if they have any questions or difficulties, they can always contact you directly. Communication built in this way will help you quickly find out about problems and, accordingly, quickly solve them.
In addition, show sincere interest in your subordinates. You should not communicate with them using an exclusively business tone. Ask employees about their well-being, about how they spent last night, who they were rooting for during the last football match, etc. Tell a little about yourself. In other words, connect with them. Believe me, people value attention to themselves and will definitely answer you with loyalty. However, do not go too far. So, do not ask subordinates about overly personal things, such as family life, religious beliefs, etc.
Learn from mistakes
First of all, let your employees make mistakes. Of course, you should not look through your fingers at such phenomena, however, and as they say, giving subordinates a thrashing for each trifle should also not be. Otherwise, people will be afraid to come to you with their problem or even try to hide the fact of an error, which can negatively affect the results of your organization as a whole. Therefore, remember that we are all human beings, and we have the right to make mistakes.
Another important principle that helps answer the question “how to become a better leader” is the ability to recognize your own mistakes. So, if something went wrong as you expected, do not be shy and discuss what happened with the team, trying to figure out what should be done to achieve the result. This approach will show employees that you too can be wrong, and also teach you how to fix your own flaws.
Use egalitarianism
If you are seriously thinking about how to become a better leader, then pay great attention to this item. After all, most of us are actually not as egalitarian as we think. Quite often, we distinguish favorites and favorites at a subconscious level without realizing this. As a result, we all know that it is not uncommon for a boss to recognize for the most part the merits of those people who constantly remind him of themselves and express their devotion and loyalty in every possible way. At the same time, the contribution of employees who modestly and painstakingly perform their work is often underestimated. Therefore, pull yourself together and try to pay tribute to people not in connection with their attitude towards you, but according to the results of their work.
In addition, always follow the rule that absolutely all your subordinates must be treated well. Believe me, this will have an extremely positive effect both on the microclimate in the team and on the results of work.
Can a fair sex be a great boss?
This issue has recently been very relevant. Therefore, if you are thinking about how to become a good leader for a woman, then take into account that there is no special secret. However, practice shows that it is women who are often more effective bosses than representatives of the strong half of humanity. This is pretty easy to explain. Indeed, a woman throughout her life has to simultaneously concentrate on more tasks and goals than a man. Accordingly, this reflects on her leadership abilities.
Additional qualities of a good leader
Always remember that moving forward makes us respect, understanding and recognition of our merits. In this regard, always be as loyal to your subordinates as possible. So, a good leader always knows his employees by name, and is also aware of their affairs. Always support your employees by giving them a helping hand in difficult times. Let your doors always be open. In addition, the qualities of a good leader are unthinkable without honesty and responsibility to subordinates. Do not conceal from them the state of affairs or your plans. Believe me, all people appreciate the trust placed in them.