How To Become A Better Leader Of Your Business

Leadership isn’t often something we think about, we just do it. However, becoming more conscious of how you perform as a leader and being more mindful of your actions and expressions can make you a more effective leader. Being a better leader will help you cultivate motivated and loyal employees, which ultimately is what will help you build a better business. If you are looking to improve your leadership skills, Business Foundations has created a list of tips you can implement to become a better leader of your business.

1. Be transparent and authentic.

You should always strive to be transparent and authentic in all of your interactions with employees, as people will trust you more and know what to expect from you. By being honest with your employees about what you like and don’t like, mistakes you have made, and what you don’t know, your employees will feel more comfortable confiding and sharing ideas with you. In addition, a commitment to communicating transparently leaves less room for rumours to spread around your business.

2. Be compassionate.

Building real relationships with your employees will help build trust and the desire to go above and beyond in your business. As a leader, you need to be supportive of your employees and act as a mentor to them. This means when an employee makes a mistake, instead of expressing disappointment you should help them learn from it. In addition, by getting to know your team and what makes them tick, you will know how to best motivate your employees.

3. Communicate regularly.

Regular communication is a cornerstone of being a good leader. Employees want to get regular updates from you and to be in the know of what is going on. You could consider introducing weekly news bulletins via email, holding short meetings regularly, or having a team huddle at the beginning of every shift. This will help your employees feel more included and that they are a part of the business.

4. Create two-way feedback channels.

Your business should consider implementing a two-way feedback system, in which you can give your employees feedback on their performance, and they can let you know what they think of your leadership. This would work best on a quarterly to half-yearly basis and will level the playing field for performance reviews. It is important to not use this feedback to focus on areas you are not happy with – you should also be using them to celebrate employee wins.

5. Encourage people to make more contributions.

Having a mix of ideas and a workplace where employees feel empowered is essential to business success. If your employees feel they can create positive change in your business, you will likely see higher productivity, morale, and retention. You can welcome ideas whilst still having the final say, but your employees might have some great ideas and just need that little nudge to share them.

Leadership often isn’t something you just have, it’s a learned skill. Implementing tips that centres you as a leader that listens, values, and respects your employees will improve your leadership in your business.