Top Leadership Lessons
Having an up to date leadership style is essential to the successful running of organisations and is important for your own personal development. Nobody wants a manager from the dark ages where the autocratic approach rules! So, here are our Top Leadership Lessons to help you become an inspirational leader.
Give your staff some meaning and context
If your staff cannot perform at their best, then you are failing as a manager. It is your responsibility to create an environment where they can flourish and develop. Give their work real meaning so that they take pride in what is being delivered and emphasise that their input matters.
You cannot be popular all of the time!
Difficult conversations are all part of the job. Whilst everyone likes to be liked sometimes, there are often awkward and challenging issues to be dealt with, which you must never shy away from.
Sometimes conflict and confrontation, if handled well and with care, can bring about positive changes and result in better and more targeted performances. Have straightforward, open and honest conversations with employees–be tough and focused but always polite and respectful.
Once dealt with, ensure you remove the “elephant in the room” and move forward from that point.
Employ staff who will fit in
Many managers make the mistake of employing people based on their skill sets alone and not on how well they will fit into the current working environment. What would be the point of employing a manager with fantastic skills for example, but who then went about annoying colleagues, avoiding issues and creating more problems than they could ever solve?
As a leader, knowing and fully understanding the culture and expectations of your organisation or department is vital when you are recruiting. Good qualities in candidates to look out for include being a self-starter, resilient and thinking outside the box.
Make decisions inclusively
All staff like to be involved and generally the more collective input there is in making a decision, the greater the success of the decision. Employees don’t expect their ideas to be selected every time, but it is important that everyone feels involved.
Consider the above points in connection with the organisation where you work, or have worked in the past. Can you draw any conclusions about the management style you have seen and the leadership style you wish to aspire to?
Fancy yourself leading a team? Then consider Management & Leadership at CU Coventry, CU Scarborough and CU London.