“walk the talk.” Ignoring conflicts has led to flare-ups within the team and poor performance on many levels. Lack of attention to a struggling employee has resulted in potentially costly errors from someone he could usually count on. Joe knows he’s in over his head, but he can’t afford to hire someone to take on HR. It all feels like too much. Top Four Leadership Skills The good news for Joe or anyone in a leader role is that strong, positive leadership can turn a toxic, negative culture into a thriving one. Yes, it takes effort, skill, commitment, communication and persistence, but it can be done. So what are the most important leadership skills you need to develop to make the biggest impact?
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Authenticity — leading by example There really is no substitute for authenticity. Consistently demonstrating your values and being a role model is powerful. I once worked for a VP who was very verbal about her values and those of the company. But sadly, in this leader’s interactions with employees, the values were far from evident. One of the values was “mistakes are opportunities for learning and growth,” yet when someone made a mistake, the leader would become angry. This left employees disillusioned, unmotivated and fearful of trying new things. In contrast, good leadership focuses on building honest relationships with employees, valuing their input and creating an ethical foundation to guide their actions.
Authentic leaders are positive, truthful and open. They don’t hesitate to jump in and work side by side with their team to get the job done and to demonstrate a positive, supportive attitude. They don’t cover up mistakes or blame others. They embody an organization’s values, demonstrate genuine care for employees and walk with integrity in every aspect of their business. If Joe were honest with his team about some of the areas where they were struggling to meet expectations — including where he had fallen short — he might be surprised to find his team on board with helping to make improvements. Dealing with these issues head-on instead of ignoring them would help him stay on top of his team’s performance and let them know he can be trusted to create a safe, positive workplace.
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Communication — inspiring passion Honest, vibrant, positive and clear communication can energize and engage a team like nothing else. If you communicate your enthusiasm and belief in your vision, your team will follow with the same energy, plus they’ll work toward helping you fulfill your goals with stronger buy-in, co-operation and teamwork. One way to encourage this connection is to help your employees connect with the why of what you are doing. This inspires a team to contribute with enthusiasm because they feel they are important — even necessary — to fulfilling that purpose. Let them know about any changes that will affect them, ask for their input, and engage them in solutions.
“Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.” — John C. Maxwell
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