If you’re stepping into a leadership role for the first time, the prospect of guiding others can be a daunting one. The good news is, while some leadership skills are innate and difficult to teach, others can be learned. Most anyone can become a good or even great leader if they are willing to work at it. These tips will help if you find yourself taking the lead for the first time.
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Listen and learn from others:
As a leader, your job is not to impose your will. It’s to help those under you perform their jobs as best as they can and to make the most of the abilities of those who work under you. To do this, you need to learn what motivates people and how to inspire them. You also need to be open to suggestions and ideas from those doing the job on the front lines so you don’t miss opportunities to streamline or improve processes.
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Give praise generously and make sure feedback is specific:
Leaders have to motivate their staff and the best way to do that is to recognize the contributions they make that add value. You don’t want just vague platitudes – you want to really make an effort to point out specific actions that are worthy of accolades so employees feel they are being seen.
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Model the behavior you hope to see in staff members:
It’s imperative you set an example of the types of behaviors that you want to exhibit. The creation of a company culture starts at the top and if you exhibit positive traits like open communication and a willingness to listen to others and recognize their contributions, you will go a long way towards creating a company culture where others do the same.
Looking for your next leader?
One of the key ways to be a successful leader is to hire the right people. The Liberty Group can help you to hire staff members who will work well under your supervision. To find out more about how our staffing service can help you to excel as a leader, give us a call today.
