Leadership Coaching & Training
In his book, "The Greatness Guide," leadership expert Robin Sharma writes, "Everyone really can be a leader and have a profound impact by standing for excellence within the area of their responsibility." But if you are a leader in the traditional sense--whether a CEO or head of your team or department--demonstrating passion for what you do, integrity, respect for others and accountability are just some of the tools you need to lead effectively.
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Walk the Talk
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Effective leaders ensure that their actions match their words. Leaders don't ask their team members to meet expectations that they don't meet themselves. For example, leaders shouldn't be late to meetings while expecting their team members to be on time. Leaders shouldn't miss deadlines for big projects while demanding that members of their team meet all deadlines. Not following the principles you're trying to enforce will make you an ineffective leader and it will make it difficult for your team to respect you. Make sure that you deliver what you promise and that your actions match your words.
Postive Attitude
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Negative thinking results in negative outcomes. Effective leaders have positive attitudes that inspire subordinates. Leaders can express positivity by being passionate about their work and the results they are striving to achieve. In an article, "Leadership That Gets Results," in the "Harvard Business Review", Daniel Goleman writes that leaders create the climate of an organization. Those who are positive will make their team members want to be around them. When leaders have high expectations for their team members, it inspires team members to meet those expectations.
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Respect Others
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People follow those they respect, but respect must be earned. The best way to do that is to give respect--treat other people as you want to be treated. You do this by being a good listener, respecting the experience of people on your team, noticing and appreciating your team members' contributions and taking the blame when you have made a mistake. You also can earn respect by working as hard or harder than you expect your team members to work.
Accountability
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Effective leaders practice personal accountability by defining their expectations and accepting responsibility for a project's outcome, whether it's good or bad. Good leaders don't blame members of their team or external circumstances. Leaders are not victims. Effective leaders take responsibility for a project's failure or a missed deadline, even if it was the result of a subordinate's action--the subordinate works for the leaders, so the true leader accepts responsibility for the breakdown. She then coaches, mentors and energizes employees to correct mistakes and meet high expectations.
Communicate Clearly
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Communicating clearly sounds simple--speak and write so that you're easy to understand. But for some leaders, that's a challenge. If your team can't understand your directives or expectations, not only will they have a difficult time following you, they won't want to. Pay attention to how subordinates react to your communications and make changes accordingly. To ensure you are communicating clearly, ask team members if they have any questions or simply ask if your directives were clear. Improve your communications by getting straight to your point and listening closely without judgment--don't be ready to shoot down ideas before you hear and understand them.
Foster Loyalty
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Effective leaders are honest. What they say in front of you matches what they say when you are not around. Leaders who vent about one associate or employee to another are not fostering loyalty--such behavior actually teaches employees not to trust you because they will wonder what you're saying about them in their absence. Foster loyalty with your team members by backing them, listening to their ideas, showing recognition and helping them. In difficult economic times, leaders can earn the respect of their team by taking a pay cut or forgoing on a bonus to set an example. By doing so, you will foster a team mentality and mindset.
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- Photo Credit boss and secretary image by Valentin Mosichev from Fotolia.com
