Do you have the right skills to become a successful leader? Leadership skills vary greatly. Some leaders believe that the most important thing is to set high standards and then push for the greatest results. Other leaders prefer the idea of building a fun work culture in which everyone is engaged. The fact is both of these work situations can be successful. Additionally, it’s actually possible to create a workplace that integrates both of these philosophies.
Best of Both Worlds
While it might seem like a contradiction, there are some leaders with certain skills that are able to create a workplace that is both engaging and focused on results.
So what are these skills and how do they affect the people being led?
Inspiration and Motivation–in order to achieve great results leaders must inspire confidence in those they work with. If they understand what motives their employees they will be able to use that to get results. That also means they trust their employees. They recognize that they want to make a difference so they use that motivation to create a positive environment where everyone feels included and important.
Develop Integrity and Inspire Trust–good leaders must have integrity. To get their employees to push themselves and achieve their goals and the desired results, leaders must live up to their standards. When leaders have integrity it will create trust. Trust is vital for building strong relationships and for getting your employees to follow you.
Give Clear Communication for Strategy and Direction–good leaders make sure their directions and expectations are clear so everyone can be on board. When employees are confused they aren’t happy. Clear direction and strategy help employees focus and feel engaged.
Focus on Team Development–most employees enjoy the feeling of being part of a team. Good leaders help develop strong teams, which helps increase productivity. Additionally, team members want to grow and see their teammates be successful at the same time. When leaders create a clear path for development, team members are more engaged. This leads to better collaboration and a more enjoyable workplace.
Set Goals That Push–all leaders talk about goals. But good leaders set goals that will stretch their employees. This makes it possible for the entire team to grow and to push for even greater success. Good leaders also seek their employees’ opinions and ideas in setting these goals. By involving employees, this helps motive them to contribute more and achieve more.That helps build a very fun and engaging environment.
Be Coachable–good leaders are coachable. They are willing to seek and implement feedback that will improve results. They also set an example to the rest of the team that feedback is ok, and that it will facilitateimprovement.
Time to Give it a Try
In the end, leaders who posses the ability to create a work environment that is both results-oriented, and engaging and fun, are the leaders who become most successful. If you want to improve your work environment then start by developing these skills and adding them to your leadership abilities.
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