So, you’re the boss. Does that mean you have to be a jerk? Of course not! But it does mean that you need to be clear about expectations and hold people accountable for them, while also encouraging them to do their best work. Luckily for all of us, there are plenty of ways to do all of these things in one fell swoop:
Be clear about what you want to accomplish.
To be a good leader, you need to be clear about what you want to accomplish. You should start by asking yourself what your team’s mission is and how each member can contribute to that mission. Once you have the big picture in mind, break down each goal into smaller steps that will help get them closer to achieving their overall objective.
Make sure that your goals are achievable and realistic so that they don’t set people up for failure or disappointment if they fall short of their targets. A good rule of thumb is: If it seems too easy or too difficult for someone on your team (e.g., “I want my salespeople selling $100 million dollars worth of products this year), then adjust accordingly until there are no longer any doubts about whether it’s possible for them achieve something specific within a certain timeframe
Set your expectations and be consistent.
- Be clear about what you want to accomplish.
- Set your expectations and be consistent.
- Don’t change your expectations mid-project.
- Don’t change your expectations based on someone else’s performance, or a one-time performance of any kind (even if it’s spectacular).
Let people know how they are doing — and what they need to do better.
It’s important to let people know how they are doing, and what they need to do better. If you don’t give your employees honest feedback, they won’t be able to improve and grow as people or professionals. And if you’re unwilling or unable to receive feedback from others, then it becomes impossible for anyone else in the organization to help you improve either–and this means that everyone loses out on opportunities for growth!
Here are some tips for giving and receiving honest feedback:
- Give positive reinforcement when someone does something well–but also tell them where they could do better next time around. For example: “You did an excellent job presenting our marketing plan yesterday at our staff meeting.” And then follow up with something like “I noticed that some of our team members seemed confused by one aspect of your presentation; I’d love it if we could work together on improving that piece before next time so everyone understands exactly where we’re headed with all this.” This way both parties feel appreciated while still being challenged by each other’s ambition.
Give praise when it’s deserved.
One of the best ways to encourage your team members is by giving them praise when they deserve it. However, this is only effective if you do it in a sincere way and at the right time.
When giving praise, be specific about what you liked about the person’s work or behavior. If possible, share with them how their actions have positively affected others on the team (or even just one other person). This will help them understand why they are being recognized for their efforts and make them more likely to repeat those behaviors again in the future!
You should also give public recognition as well as private acknowledgement in order to reinforce good behavior within your organization’s culture overall rather than just focusing on individual instances where something went right during an individual task assignment or project deadline meeting etcetera…
Don’t just talk, listen too!
Being a good leader doesn’t just mean talking, it also means listening.
Asking questions and really listening to the answers are two of the most important parts of being a good leader. It’s your job as a leader to understand what your team needs, so if you only wait for your turn to talk, you aren’t really being a good leader at all!
Leaders should be positive, encouraging, and honest with themselves and others
Leaders should be positive, encouraging and honest with themselves and others.
- Be positive. A leader’s attitude has a direct impact on those around him or her. If you’re constantly negative about things, then it will be difficult for your team members to have confidence in their work or projects. Instead of focusing on what could go wrong–or what has gone wrong–try looking at all the things that have gone right lately instead! The more positive energy you put out into the world around you (and especially at work), the easier it will be for everyone else who works with you to feel energized as well.* Encourage others frequently while they’re working on something important; this helps ensure that the project won’t lose steam halfway through completion due to lack of motivation.* Be honest with yourself and others when necessary; don’t hide behind false pretenses just because they might make someone feel bad about themselves temporarily–this only makes matters worse later down the road when those same people realize how much time was wasted avoiding real issues rather than facing them head-on.* Be willing listen carefully before speaking up during group meetings where everyone has an equal voice; often times there are ideas being thrown around which may not seem relevant initially but could end up being extremely useful later down road if given enough thought beforehand
When we think of great leaders, we usually think of people who inspire others with their words and actions. But the most important thing a leader can do is listen to their people and understand what they need, both as individuals and as a team. Only then can you help them reach their full potential as members of society
