How To Be A Good Leader!

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Portrait of confident businesswomen standing together in office

Have you ever worked at an organization whose leadership truly inspired you? The leader of the company should value everybody no matter if they’re an entry-level worker, a manager or a director of a department. Why? Realizing other people’s potential is the key to attracting talent. Your employees will see that you care about their future in the company.

Keep Your Current Employees Happy 

Most businesses already know it is more cost effective to keep an employee than to go through the trouble of finding a new one. From recruitment and pay negotiations to training, why not invest in the people you already have? The investment doesn’t have to be purely monetary. Be willing to invest time! Don’t overlook time which is a valuable tool at your disposal. Top performers contribute about ten times more than average employees. It makes sense to keep your current top performing employees happy and to keep the turnover percentage as low as possible. For more detailed explanation of the turn over percentages check out The Ideal Turnover Rate.

Team of happy employees

Listen And Take Notice

As a CEO or President, you are responsible for the entire organization. Would it not make sense to get to know the people who help you run it? Many companies run such initiatives as breakfast or lunch with the CEO. It’s an informal meeting that takes place usually in a group setting. These can work well for individuals who thrive in a social environment. How about introverts who shy away from speaking in a large group? You could devote one hour per month to meet with a particular employee face to face. Have your assistant develop a schedule, post it and have staff sign up for an available date and time. This type of a meeting will give you a perfect opportunity to get to know your employees on a more personal level. Your role in this would be to ask questions and listen. Let your employees do the talking.

Key Questions For A Leader To Ask:

  1. Why did you join the organization?
  2. What would you improve about the organization?
  3. Is your current role giving you satisfaction?
  4. What are your goals for the future?
  5. What do you think would help you attain those goals?

The answers to these questions will shed a light on what various people think about the direction your organization has taken. It can help you address and resolve any underlying issues and guide you towards your plans for the future. It will give you an insight into your employees’ aspirations and most importantly it will make you more approachable and open to discussion in the eyes of your staff.

Leader

Don’t Rule By Fear

Often times the President or CEO is the most feared person in the organization. It isn’t unusual for employees to tiptoe around their leader. That should not be the case. You need to be careful how you communicate with your staff. Over criticizing someone’s work can have the opposite effect. Positive reinforcement can encourage creativity. Offering suggestions for improvement can be a good way to enlist change.

Positive reinforcement can work wonders. How staff views the leadership of the organization is the the difference between truly successful and innovative organizations. You don’t have to become friends with every staff member of your organization. By being in touch with people’s opinions and their desires will help you utilize their talents to their fullest potential. A mid-level employee might have hidden skills and aspirations, which could potentially propel them to become a great manager or director one day. One of the biggest reasons why people leave their jobs is the relationship or lack thereof with the leader of the company. Ensure you keep a good relationship with all your employees. For a comprehensive list of reasons why people quit check out Top 10 Reasons Why Employees Quit Their Jobs.

Idea word scramble in a light bulb graphic

Be An Example Of A Good Leader

Being a leader of a company you set the tone for your entire organization. You need to be open and welcoming, listen and take notice of everybody. Instead of only focusing on the top tier talent, why not look within the entire company. Imagine what opportunities someone can bring to your organization if only given the chance. That person in the little cubicle could be the next great inventor or change maker in your organization. If you let that person slip away it will end up costing you more money to replace them and you may never find anybody as good as them. Investing little extra time and resources can make or break the progress of your company.

Success flow chart

Do you have an example of a great leader? What sets them apart from other leaders? I’d love to hear about it. Share your thoughts in the comments below.

8 Comments

  1. Kim says:

    Keeping your staff motivated and supported is one of the most, if not THE most, important thing that a good leader can do.

    1. thesavvydreamer says:

      That is definitely the point I was trying to make with this post. Good leadership is so hard to find these days. I’m glad you enjoyed the article. Thanks for stopping by 🙂

  2. Jan Limark says:

    If we want to be a good leader, we should not just shout to the members to do something but help them start something. This is a wonderful article!

    1. thesavvydreamer says:

      Yes, communication is definitely the key. Thanks for checking out the article 🙂

  3. Mary says:

    Great advice! I would also say not micro managing is very important.

    1. thesavvydreamer says:

      Absolutely, I agree on that one too.

  4. Niki says:

    Lovely post! You give great a great piece of advice!

    1. thesavvydreamer says:

      Thanks girl.

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