5 Ways to Become a Better Leader

How to be a better leader

Looking for ideas on how you can improve your effectiveness as a manager?

Don’t worry, management is a skill that can be learned. You can improve as a manager by working every day to get better.

Here are 5 things you can try to help you become a better leader:

1. Get the best people

You are only as good as the people around you. To give yourself a better chance to succeed, settle for nothing less than a culture of excellence within your team and organization. That means picking the best people from the start and driving a collective desire for goal-focused success.

2. Motivate

The old adage says “you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar” and this can be translated into the work environment. Of course, there are times when difficult conversations need to be had but you shouldn’t forget that human beings tend to respond better to positive, constructive direction than fear. To motivate your people better, figure out what they want and how you can inspire them to strive for greatness.

3. Communicate

At SpriggHR, we cannot stress enough the importance of communication. Heck, our whole business is based on it!

We have found time and time again that regular and meaningful conversations with employees and colleagues maximize your chances of creating and maintaining a happy and productive team. It’s not rocket science but you’d be surprised how easy it is for leaders to set out priorities for the next quarter or year and then fall into the common trap of not going back to employees on a regular basis to check-in and make sure they get their manager’s vision.

4. Educate

Motivating a team is worthless unless you can provide clear and consistent direction – including agreed goals. It’s the ability to lead others that really sets a manager apart from their peers. It’s not enough to earn a position as a Manager because of your technical ability and hard work and then expect your direct reports to live up to your standards. We believe that it’s vital to use your status as a Manager to inspire the best from others.

5. Constant Self Development

The fifth and final tip is to simply never stop trying to develop. The best leaders are those that also want to develop and grow themselves as well as their employees. To get the most from those up-and-coming Millenial achievers, you should lead by example and show them how they can also be the best professional that they can be.

Conclusion

Exhibiting strong leadership qualities is an important part of any managerial or supervisor role. Learning new skills and honing existing ones should be an ongoing practice for anyone that holds a position of leadership.