In every office across the country, in every work environment, there are leaders that rise up and help companies achieve their goals. There are several signs that differentiate between a good leader and one that might need a little help.
Listening: A good leader listens to his or her team. They encourage their team members to exchange ideas and to think outside of the box. A good leader will take in all of the information given and will work their team to come up with a solution.
Acknowledge Their Team: A good leader will acknowledge of the efforts of their team. It is never just a one person rodeo. We are all in this together and when a leader acknowledges the efforts by their team members, the team members are more willing to go above and beyond.
Never Expect What You Not Inspect: A good leader is someone who is going to get into the thick of things. It is never a one person show, everyone has to work together. A good leader will do the smallest task to the largest task alongside their team members. By helping one another, the team build a sense of community.
Encourage and Reprimand: We all want encouragement from the people we look up to, and we all hate to disappoint them. We are all, however, human and a good leader is going to step up and reprimand when it is the appropriate time. A good leader is not going to tear someone down for making a mistake. A good leader will acknowledge the mistake and work with the individual(s) who made the mistake in finding a solution. Mistakes are a part of being human and sometimes we need to be reminded of policies or procedures. A good leader will remind their team of the procedures as they determine if a change needs to be made.
Be Flexible: A team is made up of multiple personalities, multiple backgrounds. A good leader will interact with each of their team members differently. Each person will need to be encouraged in a different way, or reprimanded in a different way. Each person will learn differently and it is up to a good leader to be flexible enough to handle those difference.
A leader is someone we look up to in the office. If you are that leader sit down and see if you fit these characteristics. If your team is not performing the way you’d like, it might be time to look at the game plan and make some changes.
By Devin Hill