Leadership in the workplace

What is your leadership style? Yelly and pointy? Or are you a team player? Studies show that people are more productive when their boss is passionate, honest, and energetic. True leaders motivate their employees by engaging with them personally, and while their priority may be to help the group as a whole achieve its goals; they are also concerned with helping each member of the team reach his or her full potential. Being a good leader isn’t easy, but here are some ideas for being a better boss: be a role model for your team and scrutinize your own actions so that you can lead by example. Following the footsteps of someone you admire is always easier than following a dictator. Be clear with your employees about expectations of performance standards and exactly what you want them to do; but do not avoid conversations with low performers, they should know why their work isn’t up to par, and how they can improve. Encourage creativity and contributions from your team members, you will still retain the final say over all decisions, but trying out suggestions from your workers will help keep them enthusiastic and engaged with the project and the company. Offer rewards and recognition for good work, such as putting praise in writing or publicly praising your employees. Rewards can also be monetary, and really any type of recognition helps to motivate people to continue to work hard. Listen more than you talk, and when you do talk, communicate effectively what you would like to say. Make your interactions personal, and let your people know that you are there to help each one of them be a successful part of a very successful whole.

The balance is somewhere in between drinking buddy and Elsa from “Frozen” (who will ice you at the first slip-up). It is important to be pleasant and get along well with your workers, always trying to motivate them to do better with you; and not forcing them into working in ways that don’t make them feel productive. You’ll have about as much luck as you would trying to lick your elbow, and you’ll look equally cool doing it. A good boss determines whether his or her people stay or go, so try to keep the high performers motivated, engaged and performing well with your leadership skills.