5 Essential Traits for Effective Leadership: Boosting Team Performance and Job Satisfaction
Author: Michael Scaletti
Leading effectively is no simple task. It demands dedication, conscientiousness, and a profound understanding of oneself. A truth we must acknowledge is that a team's performance or lack thereof often points to the leader's effectiveness. Recent data reveals that 57% of employees who resign do so due to their superior, while 65% of workers affirm that a superior leader would increase their job satisfaction. So, how can you evolve into the leader your team needs?
Being an outstanding leader isn't solely about possessing the technical skills for the job. Of course, you need to be adept in your field and recognize quality work, but it's crucial to remember that much of the work is likely delegated. Even if it's not, your technical skills aren't the key factor motivating and steering your team towards achievement.
Incorporating these characteristics, however, can make a significant difference.
Determination
When you're at the helm, you must demonstrate the strength of your convictions. This involves scrutinizing every scenario, determining the optimal approach, and then executing that strategy.
Complex issues often present multiple viable solutions, and a varied team will suggest a multitude of potential solutions. Yet, as a leader, your responsibility is to select one solution and implement it. Continuous indecision may erode trust and confidence among your team members, clients, and colleagues.
This isn't a call to be stubborn! Be open to new information or alternative proposals that might render the previous choice less effective. However, avoid excessive uncertainty, and ensure that any changes in direction are grounded in sound reasons.
Relatability
Being in a leadership role inherently involves leading people, which requires understanding how to connect with them on a personal level. You need to be relatable, to grasp your team members' emotions, motivations, needs, and ambitions, balance these elements, and position your team for success.
Your employees are the most significant asset of your business. The best businesses, and therefore the best leaders, make their employees feel valued and appreciated, providing them the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the company's success and share in the rewards of that success.
Enthusiasm
At The Job Shop, we prioritize enthusiasm in all we do. It is central to our mission statement and corporate culture. If you aspire to be a leader, enthusiasm should be a cornerstone of your approach.
What are your ambitions for your company, your team, and yourself? What fuels your ambition and can assist you in achieving it? These are questions of enthusiasm. If you don't have a clear vision and aren't wholeheartedly pursuing it, your team likely won't either. Your enthusiasm will spur those who follow you to strive for excellence.
Reliability
Your team needs to trust you. They need to believe that you have their best interests in mind.
I once came across an insightful article that explored what distinguishes successful relationships from unsuccessful ones. The common thread in successful relationships is the assumption that the other person is acting in your best interest and has no intention of causing harm or undermining you in any way.
While the article was focused on romantic relationships, I believe this principle applies universally. If your team doesn't trust that you have their best interests at heart, they won't believe that your decisions will be to their advantage.
Here's an important aspect of trust: it has to be earned. To gain your team's trust that you genuinely care about them, you must indeed care! It's easy to get caught up in deadlines and targets, but when making decisions that affect your team, always ask, "Will this benefit or harm my team in the long run?". If it's likely to cause harm, it's probably not in their best interest, and the temporary gains likely won't outweigh the enduring impact.
Communication
You could do everything else right: possess a strong determination, be filled with enthusiasm for your work, and genuinely care for your team's welfare, but if you fail to effectively communicate your thoughts and ideas, your leadership will be undermined.
One of the most critical skills for a leader is their capacity to communicate. You need to articulate your ideas and intentions in a clear and concise manner so that your team fully comprehends your expectations.
This also implies a readiness to engage in difficult conversations. Is there an issue that needs resolution? Have you made an error? Has a team member? Regardless of the problem, it's best to confront it directly, in a respectful and open-minded manner, rather than let it escalate.
By heeding these pieces of advice, you're likely to develop into a more effective and productive leader.
If you're aspiring to assume a leadership role, or if you're already a leader looking to expand your team, don't hesitate to contact The Job Shop! We're here to assist you!