Anyone has the ability to sit in an office and delegate tasks, but there’s a much more effective way to approach leadership. Effective leaders have major impacts on not only the team they manage, but the organization as a whole. Employees who work for great leaders tend to be happier, more productive, and more connected to their organization. That ripple effect can help you and your team reach collective goals for yourselves and your community.
Working in the public sector provides a set of unique challenges, so knowing how to properly manage your team is a must. After all, your work doesn’t just benefit them, but your communities and neighbours at large.
The following behaviours are signs that you may have a poor leadership strategy:
- No one in your team has questioned any of your ideas in the past month
- You haven’t had hardly any non-work related conversations with a team member
- Different team members would profile different answers of your top three goals of the year
- Team members are hesitant to come to you
Let’s explore some potential strategies to avoid becoming a lackluster leader.
Engage in honest communication
One of the most important elements of effective leadership is creating an open line of communication with your team. Your own honesty and transparency should serve as an example for your team members. Displaying active communication skills can build trust among your team and improve your team’s morale. It’s important to be genuine above all else.
Connect with your team
Leading a group of people requires mutual respect and a sense of trust and understanding between the leader and the team. To achieve this, leaders have to learn how to truly connect.
To build a connection with your team members, focus on getting to know who they are, their interests, strengths, weaknesses, etc. This can help you not only get to know them better but connect as a team and plan for future goals together.
Keep your attitude positive
As much as leaders wish their team’s regular collaborative efforts could always run smoothly, they’re bound to run unto the occasional obstacle. Whether it’s a minor miscommunication or a major error, the way you handle a negative situation says a lot about your personal leadership skills. As well, knowing you can come to your team lead when you’ve made a mistake without crippling fear, the more likely you are to catch a situation before it gets worse.
Guide your team instead of giving orders
A good leader knows how to show others what is required rather than simply telling them what to do. Leaders should coach their team members toward a more collaborative, committed environment to reach goals.
Set clear team expectations
Setting clear goals and team expectations is to your overall success. When setting these objectives, encourage the team to ask questions, and provide feedback. Including them in this process can increase engagement.
Don’t allow team members’ goals to go static. Periodically, revisit goals to modify or rearrange them as necessary. This will let your team know that you are present and aware of what they are working on.