You’re much more likely to lead a successful team if you set a good example. This is as true in business as it is in any other setting. When you give your employees someone worth looking up to, they’re more likely to perform to the best of their abilities.
The following points will help you achieve this goal. No matter what industry you work in, if you want to lead by example, keep these tips in mind.
Communicate Fairly
The way in which you communicate with your employees will directly affect the way they communicate with one another. If you’re constantly putting people down, you’re creating the type of environment in which team members aren’t comfortable having civil and productive discussions.
Avoid this by communicating in a positive manner. Acknowledge the contributions of team members, and they’ll want to acknowledge each other as well. This is also an effective way to boost employee engagement.
Accept Feedback
The above point isn’t suggesting you should never provide employees with constructive criticism. Sometimes it’s necessary. Additionally, surveys indicate most employees want to receive more feedback than they currently do. Even if an employee isn’t performing to your expectations, they’d much rather hear that and have the chance to improve, instead of sitting around wondering how well they are doing.
That said, it’s important that employees not get defensive when they receive this type of feedback. It’s hard to take constructive criticism and learn from it if you aren’t willing to hear it in the first place. Thus, you should also be willing to accept criticism yourself when it’s warranted. Show your employees this is the type of working environment where people can use all types of feedback productively.
Accept Responsibility
There are going to be instances when things don’t always go according to your plans. This happens at all organizations. When it does, it’s important to accept responsibility (assuming you are the responsible party). This results in a more honest atmosphere among your team. In fact, a landmark study indicates people consider a willingness to accept responsibility as being one of the most important behaviors a worker can exhibit. Your employees will respect you more if you don’t try to blame someone else when you make a mistake.
Listen to Ideas
Your goal should be to manage a team where people feel comfortable sharing their creative ideas. When everyone has the opportunity and freedom to contribute, the entire company is more likely to thrive.
That means you need to regularly give your team members opportunities to share their thoughts. This can take the form of regular brainstorming sessions, weekly meetings, or any other arrangement that works for your schedule.
Make sure you’re actually listening during these interactions. Demonstrate this by applying good ideas when they are suggested. This has been proven to be yet another effective means of boosting employee engagement.
Strive
Don’t ever settle for anything less than your own personal best in business. Part of your job is to inspire your team to reach their own best. They’ll be more motivated to put in the necessary work if they see you doing the same.
This may involve researching what types of leadership qualities you may need to cultivate. Don’t assume you have all the skills necessary to do your job well. Odds are good there’s room for improvement. The more willing you are to learn, the more equipped you’ll be to teach your employees. This is key to engaging your top players.
Remember that creating a culture of excellence starts with you. You need to lead by example to help your employees grow. These tips will help.
