Which qualities set exceptional leaders apart from others? Some might answer solid team-building skills, whereas others describe them as vision setters. Every individual has their ideology of a qualified leader.
Nonetheless, the fact remains that every organization wouldn’t be where they are without the guidance of a leader. One of the primary drivers of growth is effective leadership which isn’t about the titles or the accolades.
An effective leader, aside from having the drive to achieve goals, ensures that nobody gets left behind. Along with ensuring every employee moves forward as a team, leaders overlook other aspects critical to the company’s growth. What are those? We’re getting to that.
Every organization has goals, from establishing a name in the market to attracting customers. Employees working to meet their ends are hired to help businesses achieve these goals. This is where the leadership role comes into play.
Leaders ensure that through various strategies, every employee is focused on the objective and efficiently works to achieve them.
Though the old ways of leading were purpose-oriented, now, caring, compassion, and inspiration are the elements that define effective leadership.
With time, the leadership role has also gravitated towards adaptive leadership, which is about being open to feedback, changing directions when necessary, and learning new tactics to solve problems.
The core adaptive leadership principles influence the outcome that ultimately impacts the organization’s growth. Finally, it all comes down to how fitting into the leadership role delivers the results companies want.
Here’s how.
- Motivation
Actions do not merely achieve outstanding results; words of encouragement or motivation are what drive those actions. Nobody burns the midnight oil unless they have a goal in mind. That said, a strong leader ensures that every employee knows the company’s vision.
As a staunch leader, setting clear and measurable goals is crucial because it helps track progress tangibly. Unlike machines, the people working for you are emotional beings that need words of encouragement from time to time.
Besides letting them in on the goals, encourage your team throughout the process and let them know they are vital to the outcome.
Communication is vital, allowing workers to put forth their ideas and give feedback which is valuable during the process.
Be approachable and available to contact; let your staff feel at ease. Strong communication creates a bond that allows employees to approach leaders with queries easily. Motivating employees makes them feel less isolated and boosts work productivity.
- Improve team productivity
Even in the face of unprecedented challenges, leaders must ensure the team remains productive and efficient.
A strong leader takes action that eliminates factors affecting the employee’s performance leading to poor outcomes.
The Pomodoro technique focuses on the time management method to boost employee productivity. With the help of guidelines, a leader instructs employees to select a task, work on it for a set interval and take a break before heading back.
This allows employees to restore their energy and realign focus on the tasks.
Incorporating these techniques gives leaders a better understanding of how time is spent and what changes can be made to make it more productive.
The key to achieving results in a short period is a clear focus that isn’t interrupted by various distractions.
A leader plays a significant role here by introducing employees to stress and time management techniques. Aside from these techniques, another way of redirecting focus is setting short-term goals that efficiently use time and labor.
Instead of hiring new talent, leaders can invest their time and effort in upscaling the current employees’ skills.
Training new talent is a long-drawn process that requires money and time; therefore, an exceptional leader devises performance improvement strategies to enhance the existing team’s productivity.
- Feedback
One of the most crucial things a good leader does for the organization’s growth is to give employees constructive feedback.
Many employees are unaware of their performance in the company unless they are given a heads-up. It enables employees to work on areas they lack and deliver results per the organization’s requirements.
Employee feedback also clears expectations, relieving stress and allowing workers to redirect their attention.
As a leader, giving constructive feedback also instills a sense of loyalty in the team towards the company they are working for.
It reduces the risk of losing a hardworking employee and saves time and money spent on hiring and training new workers.
Leaders must consider the timing when providing feedback because a good mood on both sides impacts the feedback environment.
An efficient leader always cultivates sincerity when providing feedback, and it reflects on their behalf how valuable the employee’s efforts are.
- Encourage Knowledge sharing
Knowledge sharing is critical to the organization’s success which does not occur naturally. This is where a leader plays a significant role. First and foremost, create a safe space ensuring employees can think outside the box and even take risks.
It is possible by setting up a knowledge-sharing platform, encouraging employees to share their views and learnings from various projects to help others.
One of the key factors in initiating knowledge sharing is building trust among employees. Once employees are assured the information shared is kept under wraps, they are less likely to become unapproachable.
A good leader starts by being transparent about the goals and conveys to employees how they expect these goals to be carried out.
Lack of communication only adds to employees’ suspicion causing them to withhold valuable information.
The most effective way to practice knowledge sharing is to lead by example. Leaders initiating practical demonstrations reflect devotion to their goals and vision, leaving a positive impression on the employees.
An example of a practical demonstration is sharing regular updates on the organization’s knowledge management platform.
- Focus on the big picture
A company with a goal in mind is more likely to achieve promising results than those without a clear vision.
The duty falls on the leader’s shoulders to strike a balance between focusing on the details and keeping a lookout for the big picture.
An exceptional leader with direction is useless to the organization if the company goals are not aligned with the team members. That is because, at the end of the day, a team ensures that organizations reach where they want to.
Focusing on the big goal requires widening your perspective because you never know; considering the opinions of others might positively change the course of direction to achieving the target.
The most common reason leaders fail to accomplish set goals is a lack of consistency. Leaders that continue to move forward despite hurdles are the ones that succeed.
Conclusion
A leader is someone who, aside from ensuring an organization’s success, focuses on the intricate details critical to the company’s growth.
Though the leadership role is about leading others, it nurtures talent and builds employees’ strength, which is beneficial in achieving a common goal.
Unlike the traditional leadership role, where the primary focus was on problem-solving, times have changed, making elements like compassion and empathy essential to the position.
Those who don’t consider the employees’ role in the organization’s success fail to live up to leadership roles.
Strong leaders are recognized for their ability to implement strategies like the ones mentioned to deliver the organization’s desired results.