Many of us rise into management roles because of our education, experience, or skills related to our field, not necessarily because we are great at leading or managing people. In fact, many managers become managers without having any actual leadership experience. You may have been told that to be an effective leader you need to demonstrate things like integrity, trust, and communication—and you’ve probably read books and been to seminars that are supposed to develop these traits. But being an effective leader is much simpler than that.
The easiest thing you can do to become a better leader is to always put your people first and realize it ain’t about you. Once you have mastered this mindset, you will become a more respected leader. Here are some tips from Amy Modglin of Forbes to help you start putting your people first and becoming a leader that your team wants to follow.
Acknowledge & Appreciate People: Everyone wants to be valued. It is critical as a leader to give your people credit and recognition for the incredible things they do. One of the reasons people leave a job is because they feel underappreciated. A leader should never take the credit for the work that their people do. A good leader is a generous leader who recognizes people. Work recognition into the culture of your team. Make a conscious effort to call out your top performers or those that go above and beyond in meetings. When others see a coworker being recognized, it infuses motivation to your team. Everyone will work harder to be the next person whose hard work is recognized.
Know Your People: I mean really know them. Sure, you may know their names and their positions and what they are working on, but do you really know them? Do they have children? Do you know where they came from? Do you know what they have done in their lives before they started working with you? Most importantly, do you know their hopes and dreams? Getting to know them in a more personal way will make them feel valued and increase their respect for you as a leader.
Leave Your Ego at the Door: People are going to do better than you. You will have people on your team who have significant achievements. They may have higher tickets than you ever did, attend more trainings, or even leave to start their own company. One of the biggest compliments you can receive as a leader is to have one of your people move on to a better opportunity. Be proud, not jealous.
Empower Your People: Everyone wants to be trusted to make decisions. Empower your people to make certain decisions. Do not short change them. Allow them opportunities to shine rather than discounting their abilities and doing it yourself. Are you planning on running a training at your office, maybe about how to use the StraightForward Pricing® guide? Allow one of your top performers to demonstrate instead. Being empowered will make them confident and help them strive for larger-than-life goals.
View Your People as Your Biggest Success: A good leader supports those around them. Your focus should be on developing them, helping them succeed, and watching them grow into the people they want to become. When your people are successful, it is a reflection on you as a leader. Work hard on your people. They are your biggest asset. Without them, your team can fail.
Leadership is both a gift and a privilege. You can erode the cohesion of your team if you fail to value them. Everyone on the team deserves to be valued. Each one of them performs an essential part to keep the engine of your company running. When you can put your people’s needs and interests before your own, you will be a more successful leader