Great leadership is the foundation of any successful business. Directives and the spirit of the company flow from the top down and if the leadership is subpar, then the organization will flounder. The question that many business owners and administrators have is, “What makes a great leader?”
Not many people are more apt to answer questions about leadership than Mark Wiseman. He has decades of experience leading companies to maximize their potential. Continue reading to get some of his insights on what great leadership looks like.
1. Set achievable goals and hold your team members to them.
One thing for certain is that a company with no goals is headed nowhere fast. The only way to grow your company and take it to new heights is to set achievable goals and do your best to hold your team accountable for achieving them.
The thing about expectations is that when people know what’s expected of them, they tend to meet the minimum requirements. If you set the bar too low, then you will likely see a drop in morale and production. So, show your team members that you believe in them by setting lofty but achievable goals.
It isn’t enough to simply set goals—you have to be able to track your progress in relation to those goals to get an accurate picture of how your organization is performing. With Workboard OKRs software, you can set objectives and monitor the key results.
You can even use this software to observe and analyze the performance level of individual team members. With such powerful technology at your tips, you can micromanage and lead from a distance at the same time.
2. Don’t waste talent or innovation.
One of the most important aspects of being a leader is knowing the value of the people around you and their ideas. It’s your job as a leader to bring the best out of the people under your charge. Leadership guru Mark Wiseman says it another way, “Don’t waste talent or innovation.
Not wasting talent or innovation means that you value your team members and their ideas. When a subordinate comes to you with an idea, you don’t nonchalantly dismiss them. That will only discourage your star employees from sharing their brightest ideas. Instead, foster an atmosphere of acceptance where your team members feel confident coming to you with ways to improve the business.
3. The best leaders make everyone smarter.
Being a great leader has nothing to do with being an effective order giver. Simply delegating tasks only makes you a tyrant.
Being a leader is about helping your staff to realize their potential and put it to work for the company. In fact, according to Wiseman, the best leaders make everyone smarter.
He also says the same thing but in different words, “Good leaders multiply their intelligence.” In other words, they empower their team by radiating their intelligence, and the whole company gets a little smarter in their presence.
4. Be willing to evolve.
One of Wisman’s most powerful pieces of advice is also one of his most ominous. The quote “If you’re unwilling to evolve, you’ll likely to get eaten” should stick out in the minds of all corporate leaders.
The workplace culture is changing dramatically and if you can’t keep up with the changes, then you’re bound to get left in the dust. Besides, you will lose your effectiveness as a leader if your team members start to view you as the “dinosaur in the room.”
5. Don’t be an accidental diminisher.
One of the worst things you can do is a leader is to discourage greatness in your team. You should want everyone to reach their potential and shine under your leadership. Like Wiseman says, you don’t want to be a diminisher.
When a member of your team goes above and beyond the call of duty, don’t belittle their efforts as if they were only doing what’s right. People are more likely to give you their best when they’re acknowledged for it, but your star employees will hide their brilliance if you diminish their efforts.
