In today’s edition of ‘Tips from the Experts’, we’ve asked three business professionals to share their top five tips on how to develop leadership skills.
At work, regardless of whether you are in charge of a team of people or not, it is common to find that you are often leading others in an unofficial capacity. Honing your leadership skills will help you be more efficient, and will make you a more valuable employee in the long run. Here is what three experts have to say about growing your leadership muscles in the workplace.
Anna Smith, Managing Director at Content on Demand
1. A strong team gets results
When it comes to leadership, the most important thing to think about is how to improve your team’s performance – together and as individuals. Everyone has different skillsets and it’s important to use them to your advantage and develop areas which are lacking. Employees want to feel like they are contributing, but to maintain performance it is just as important to find out what they need to work on too.
2. Invest in training
Training is something which should be encouraged within businesses, whether it is reading industry news, attending conferences or using skills within the team to train each other. Everyone you meet knows something you don’t, so use it as an opportunity to learn.
3. Improve communication
Communication skills are crucial, even in a small business things can get missed. It is important to make the team aware of any changes and if they have achieved their targets, tell them. Often, leaders only give constructive criticism but a pat on the back goes a long way.
4. Keep a positive attitude
Things don’t always go according to plan. What separates leaders is how they handle the issues and keep the momentum. Admitting there is an issue is the first part, but creating solutions will help. A team that sees a leader give up is less likely to be enthusiastic about the job in the long term.
5. Embrace change and listen
We often fall into a routine with the same processes which prevent us embracing change. If someone in your team comes up with a new way of thinking, it’s important to hear them out. A good leader doesn’t have all the answers – they are prepared to listen and to learn from others to get the best results.
Tom Bourlet, Digital Marketing Manager at Eventa
1. Don’t be apathetic
One of the biggest barriers we face is apathy, both with employees and within ourselves. There is a famous motivational speech that states “when you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you will be successful”. Could you network more or attend more events, are you delaying integral tasks or failing to demonstrate the company’s vision to every member of staff? Every decision you make will have an impact further down the line.
2. Work smarter
While I just highlighted the importance of prioritising your ultimate goal, the solution isn’t just to work harder, you need to work smarter. The Pareto Principle, or the 80-20 rule, highlights that 80% of the effects will come from just 20% of the cause. It is important to take a step back and analyse where the focus should be and ensure everyone is working towards this same rule. We are very easily distracted by what is new or exciting, however these distractions can often eat into our limited time availability.
3. Ensure your employees are working on tasks that are best suited to their interests and skills
Beyond working harder and smarter, we also need to ensure the right person is working on each task in order to achieve maximum output. As a leader, it is your role to monitor and judge how effective each member of the team is at each task, including yourself, and make sure the pertinent person holds each role. We often bite off more than we can chew, however you would be much better off seeking experts or industry leaders that are more effective at the associated task.
4. Keep your finger on the market pulse
It is integral as a leader to identify the market as it evolves and to adapt your business alongside these movements. The best businesses are often the ones that spot movements in the early stages, or even better, create the movements themselves with innovative creativity. Build an environment for growth and then measure your progress continually.
5. Don’t be afraid to take risks
Blockbusters survived the movement from VHS to DVDs, but they have failed to keep up with changes in the industry, such as e-commerce purchases, video-on-demand or the ever increasing amount of streaming sites available. Steve Jobs was renowned for taking risks, not all of which paid off, but these decisions were imperative to the evolution of the marketplace. There is a big difference between the people that make changes and the people that simply dream about doing them.
Ian Cowley, Managing Director at Cartridge Save
1. Understand your new ‘job’
At the outset, you worked 24/7 on the shop floor to make ends meet. Which is why it’s crucial you understand how important this new job role is. It’s only when you’re getting the most out of staff and they’re delivering on the targets you’ve set, that you know you’re on the road to achieving success. Don’t feel guilty about the time being spent at your desk. Your role is now about making the right decisions. As you know, making the right decision can take five minutes – or five months – and often they’re made outside of the office environment.
2. Don’t micromanage
To assess the quality being created across the board, look at what your department heads are doing. Review their output each week to ensure it matches your expectations. Then trust them to manage their team, and put into practice your feedback. Don’t try to micromanage problems – you’ll only get bogged down in the detail that will prevent you having the vital overview you need to see the bigger picture.
3. Set KPIs
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been a great addition to our management system. We have developed a suite relevant to each department that clearly communicates what is expected of staff. What’s more, if service levels are being affected, KPIs help diagnose the problem.
4. Trust
Don’t try and create an army of Stepford Wives. No one will do a job exactly as you would. But that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. It can be very demoralising if you criticise people’s work because they haven’t done it exactly as you would. Let your ego go, because if their approach delivers the same result, then it’s just as good.
5. Find a mentor
This is an inspirational route to improve your skills. There are various routes to find people in similar sectors to yourself, introduce yourself and see if you can take them for a coffee. With the building of a relationship, that’s when you can ask about things that only someone who has been there and done it before you would know.
Thanks to all our contributors for their valuable advice. For more expert tips be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.