Earlier in my career, I had the privilege of working under the guidance of an exceptional leader who cultivated a high-performing and highly engaged team. His leadership style left a lasting impact on me, shaping my approach to leading diverse teams across various stages of my career.
Young professionals, as you embark on your journey towards becoming future leaders, it's crucial to develop these five essential skills:
Embrace Team Feedback: Throw the mindset of “I am the manager. I am in charge therefore I must decide” out of the window. Instead of solely relying on your own decisions, harness the collective power of your team by actively seeking and valuing their input. Remember, they are the subject matter experts, and their feedback is invaluable in shaping your strategies.
Take Action on Your team’s Input: It's not enough to simply ask for input; show your team that their opinions matter by implementing meaningful changes based on their feedback. This fosters a sense of ownership and collaboration within the team. Remember, smart and talented people don’t blindly do what they are told, they work on idea/vision that they believe in.
Foster a Supportive Environment: Create a safe space where team members feel comfortable expressing themselves and sharing their ideas. Be open to accepting their ideas, even if they surpass your own, as Steve Jobs famously said, “It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do. We hire smart people so they can tell us what to do"
Cultivate Trust: Build trust within your team by being transparent, reliable, and supportive of their professional growth. When your team feels comfortable admitting mistakes, discussing challenges openly, recommending resolutions, and looking to you for guidance, you know you've earned their trust and respect. Smart people work for leaders they trust. With trust, you cultivate rock star team with high retention.
Lead by Example: Set the standard for accountability and behavior alignment by exemplifying the values you wish to instill in your team. Cultivate a culture where high standards are maintained without constant reminders (I call this auto-pilot mode). By doing so, you'll transform from a manager to a true leader where you are shifting your focus on vision, strategies, goals, success…
#LeadershipSkills #ManagementSkills #LeadershipDevelopment #CareerGrowth #TrustBuilding #TeamBuilding #TeamCulture #EmployeeEngagement #BehaviorAlignment
Aspiring leaders, what skill is top most crucial success factor at you present role? (share with your fellow members to help them excel as well)
0%Embrace Team Feedback
0%Take Action on Your team’s Input
0%Foster a Supportive Environment
0%Cultivate Trust