Whether or not an entrepreneur has any real desire to be considered a leader, a lack of leadership qualities will inevitably make an organisation less efficient and breed conflict and contempt.
Some business founders will bring on a partner, or put a particular emphasis on hiring senior staff members with good leadership qualities to alleviate the pressure of leading themselves. However, this will inevitably create at least one level of separation between the entrepreneur’s ideas and their implementation and execution in the business.
The value of being able to lead your own team begs the age old question, are you born a leader, or can you learn to be one? Popular perception and even some academic studies suggest the former, but neither rule out the latter.
In July 2013, a study by University College London used a large twin sample in an attempt to identify any genetic basis for leadership. The result of the study was that leadership qualities may indeed be partially hereditary. To quote lead author Dr Jan Emmanuel De Neve; “we have identified a genotype, called rs4950, which appears to be associated with the passing of leadership ability down through generations.” He goes on, however, to explain that the perception of leadership as a skill is still largely accurate, and that the study merely serves to indicate that it is partly a genetic trait too.
So with experts and laymen in agreement that teaching leadership is indeed possible, what are the most important aspects for an aspiring leader to work on?
Lead by Example
No list of leadership skills would be complete without this phrase that you’ve no doubt heard a thousand times, but in a professional environment, it’s easy to forget this fundamental tenet of leadership. When trying to guide or motivate a team, what you say is rarely as important as what you do. When trying to set a precedent for quality of work, or something as simple as being prepared for meetings, start by being an example against which your team’s performance can be measured. When a leader feels demotivated and their commitment and drive is visibly lacking, even the most independent members of that team will find it hard not to emulate that behaviour, if only on a subconscious level.
Ask for Feedback
Few people have the confidence to offer constructive criticism to a leader, particularly in a professional environment. Instead of waiting for one of your team members to drum up the courage to offer you feedback, ask for it. In this way, you are creating an opportunity for team members to speak their minds in an emotionally neutral and safe environment.
When asking for feedback, try to avoid polarising comments or making the matter personal by asking questions like; “what do you like or dislike about me?”. Rather ask “in your opinion, what could I do to become a better leader?” Also remember to objectively analyse any comments made. Identify any actionable behaviours recommended in the comments and focus on working on those points. This is a highly effective way to develop leadership qualities.
Demonstrate a commitment to personal growth
In the everyday rush of delegating and checking up on statuses, it’s easy to forget that your team is made up of individuals with their own dreams and aspirations. When a team member feels that their own interests are of no consequence to the team, they will begin to withdraw and become less invested in the work that the team is doing.
To combat this, make an effort to understand each individual’s vision for their future and actively work to help them achieve it. If a team member is particularly interested in a certain field and shows competence, offer training and guidance in that regard. This may even be an opportunity to develop leadership qualities in your team. By actively contributing to each individual’s personal growth, you can win their loyalty to both you, and the team itself.
Keep promises and be honest
Another fundamental that we’ve been told since childhood. There is no quicker way to prove that you cannot be trusted than by breaking promises. In a professional environment, this can prove tricky though. It’s vital to consider whether or not you are making implied promises when addressing your team. Never say that something will or will not happen unless you really have control over the outcome of the situation.
If you pull the wool over your team’s eyes in order to achieve a goal, they will be far less likely to trust you when the going gets tough. Likewise, making promises when you don’t have any real control over the situation will invalidate any promises you make in the future.
If you can master these fundamental leadership qualities, you’ll have come a long way to winning the trust and loyalty of your team members, which is always the most challenging aspect of being a good leader. From that point, you’ll be able to start to forge deeper and more meaningful relationships with your team, learning their individual talents and qualities and putting them to the best possible use.
A final point to conclude; be sure to consider how the physical work environment in your office might be influencing how your team perceives their relationship with you, their leader. When working closely with your team members on a daily basis, being separated from them in a private office for most of the day doesn’t contribute to you being perceived as someone who leads by example. For reliable advice on creating an office space that aligns with your leadership goals and access to a global network of flexible office space solutions, talk to an Instant Offices expert now.