2016 May 25 Archive - EXEIdeas – Let's Your Mind Rock

Don’t take your workers for granted. It’s no secret that mismanagement is the main reason why good employees decide to leave. People will even leave an ineffective and unfair manager, despite a good pay package or benefits.A bad manager chases talent away while a good manager inspires growth. So if you want to do your own job effectively and guide your team to success, you need to develop strong leadership skills. Here are five ways you can do this:1.) Be More Assertive:It’s important to start by learning how to speak your mind. Admittedly, learning assertiveness may take more than a few quick tips. There are even courses dedicated to helping people master it.But at its core, assertiveness is simply expressing yourself to get what you want. When applied properly, it will help you appear confident, decisive, and credible. Being assertive also allows for better communication and leaves little room for misinterpretation.2.) Lead By Example:As a manager, you should make it easy for other people to trust your judgment and follow your lead. You can easily do this by following the same rules that you set for your colleagues.Doing this sends a clear message: that you are fair and trustworthy. Always lead by example. This makes it easier for others to respect you and your leadership.3.) Set Realistic Goals:You won’t get the best results by only going for the low-hanging fruit. Instead, you should decide on target goals that offer your employees a healthy amount of challenge.But these goals should also be reasonable and attainable. This is true for both long-term objectives and short-term tasks. That’s because achieving even small successes builds confidence, serving to motivate employees even more.4.) Provide Constructive Feedback:Employees appreciate having a mentor to facilitate their development as professionals. You can do this by providing constructive and insightful feedback. Whatever the resulting performance, remember that honesty is key.Give your co-workers their due for every bit of success they achieve. Similarly, don’t hold back on any negative feedback you might have. Both are important to let them know what’s working, and what should be improved.5.) Know Your People:Providing helpful feedback may not always be enough. To bring out the best in your employees, you have to get to know what makes them tick.Understand what motivates them and know what turns them off. When you know what your people value, you’ll be better equipped to give them what they want. Whether it’s a higher position or just to provide for their families, their motivations can help you push them to achieve more.Lead The Way:Taking charge of other people isn’t a task you can just slide into and immediately succeed at. With an estimated 70% of U.S. workers not finding their jobs engaging, the odds are stacked against you. This highlights the importance of developing proper leadership and communication skills to maximize the talent at your disposal.