5 Tips to Help You Become a Better Leader

Ashley here! In my nine-year career, I’ve learned that one thing is for sure: you can never underestimate the impact of a positive, effective leader. Below are a few mantras and lessons learned along the way—from both sides of the desk—to help you evaluate and enhance your own leadership skills.

1. Don’t be a micromanager.
Micromanaging? We don’t know her! One of the biggest mistakes a leader can make is to not have trust in their employees. Not only is it annoying to deal with a nagging boss or supervisor, but it demonstrates a lack of trust in the employee’s ability to complete tasks effectively or in the time allotted. Personally, I’ve been fortunate enough to have bosses who have instilled responsibility in me without much oversight, and it has given me the ability to grow as an employee and as a leader. Now as a leader, I consider the strengths and weaknesses of my team, noting when and where they may need support or guidance instead of overstepping my boundaries.

2. Really listen to your team.
In a leadership role, feedback is key. First time leading? Not sure if you’re doing this thing right? Solicit feedback from your team to see what does and does not work for them individually. Each person is different, and sometimes that means you may have to develop different styles of leadership for each team member. Encourage your team to share feedback as often as possible—nobody is perfect and learning an individual’s working style may take some trial and error, but you’ll get there! Ultimately, listen to your team, respect their working styles and adapt as a leader to each of your team members as best as possible.

3. Lead by example.
To lead by example means to guide an individual or a team by exemplifying what’s expected behaviorally instead of verbally. Basically: do it, don’t say it. Within this realm, there is a vast difference between managers and leaders: Managers tell their team what to do, while leaders aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty and show their team how to complete a certain task. Whenever you’re able, provide a demonstration or example of the task or project at hand—chances are, you’ll have a more sufficient outcome similar to your initial demonstration.

4. Set clear expectations and explain why.
Imagine this: you’re five years old again and your mom asks you to clean your room. Your response, “why?” It is human nature to ask or wonder why you are being tasked with something so, when you can, share the “why” with your team. This will alleviate most frustrations proactively and might even elicit a more successful outcome or better work because the individual understands the reasoning behind the work they are doing.

5. Be open to new ideas and/or pushback.
The best ideas often come from a collaborative approach or a brainstorm, which is why it’s best to always be open-minded and accept new ideas. Accepting pushback may not sound pleasant, but it is vital in successful leadership. For example: Tanya has been working on a project and you suggest that she phrases something a bit differently. That said, Tanya has been working more closely with the project and may have a better understanding of why her verbiage may be more effective. Receive Tanya’s pushback and listen to her reasoning. Be open-minded and accept feedback. Chances are, she wants her work to be the best it can be just like you do.

While this is by no means an exhaustive list, you’d be surprised just how much of a difference incorporating these five practices alone can make in your organization—both in cultivating a killer team of professionals and optimizing their output. With that, go forth and be great leaders!