Current issues bring to light the importance of great leaders. However, instead of panicking, it’s important for leaders to think and consider the long-term. They can take advantage of this moment to rally together.
How can you lead with impact at this critical time? Consider these tips:
Lead by your example. It’s essential to be a good listener and role model because your employees want to follow your actions. Your rank-and-file employees watch what you do, how you act, and how you react. If you lead with conviction, they are more likely to follow you.
● Remember that good leaders model good behavior. You set a strong example for your fellow employees by leading with conviction.
● You may not know how powerful your example is to those under your leadership during difficult times. But recognize that they’re watching your every step. And your actions affect them more deeply than you may realize.
Influence a shared vision. Leaders must create a shared vision that motivates employees and inspires them to work positively toward a common goal. This vision must be consistent and straightforward so that everyone can understand it, regardless of position in an organization.
● Use words like “together” and “we” to encourage your employees to be involved in creating a shared vision. Keep employee input and suggestions to a baseline so that others within the organization feel heard.
● You can get everyone to focus by using the vision as a way to unite them rather than divide them.
● When you know the direction in which you want your organization to go, you can create shared goals that guide your employees’ actions and behaviors toward reaching that vision.
Keep company with other intelligent leaders. Great leaders surround themselves with others who complement their leadership ability. If you are NOT a skilled negotiator, seek out others skillful at negotiation and team building. Seek out those who can be good at big picture thinking and detail-oriented tasks.
● Expert negotiators can help you develop a win-win solution, reduce the time it takes to reach that solution, and build trust. And others can help your leadership skills grow by providing opportunities for you to practice your skills.
● Any way you look at it, surrounding yourself with intelligent leaders will only help you become the best leader you can be and will provide a positive benefit to everyone involved.
Keep the climate local. Remote work has become increasingly popular in recent years, but many companies don’t understand how it can affect teamwork. If you are the leader of a remote team, it’s important to maintain the culture of your team.
● In smaller offices, teams are often more interactive and fluid and are less likely to become bogged down with difficult employees becoming frustrated or feeling isolated. Maintaining this culture of teamwork can make the difference between successful remote work and a flop.
● A successful remote team depends on strong leaders, so it’s essential to keep the culture of your team intact as much as possible.
Encourage transparency and accountability. Trust is essential in today’s work environment. If you want people on your team to trust you and to work well with one another, it’s necessary to ensure transparency in the workplace.
● Sharing information and encouraging accountability will help build trust among your employees and prevent teams from working against each other.
● It will also ensure that everyone is working together toward a common goal, which will boost morale and productivity in the workplace.
Intelligent leaders will always look for new ways to be more efficient, innovative, and impactful in their leadership roles. While there is no single solution that works for every type of company and leader, you can start with these strategies and lead your team to success!
