Leadership plays a significant role in career development and business productivity. A leader not only supervises but also guides their team, maximising work efficiency and production. Leaders who lead by example and demonstrate the behaviours and attitudes they wish to see reflected in their staff are typically the most successful.
Most people are not born natural leaders, but the great news is, great leadership skills can be learned. So, what skills do you need, and how do you build these skills to last?
The mind is a natural wanderer, with one thought running into the next. Generally, most people can function on autopilot when doing well-known tasks. This default works well for most people, but for anyone determined to become the best they can, developing mindfulness practices and exploring these thoughts can make a big impact.
Mindfulness is a deliberate process of being present in the here and now, and taking time to work through anything that’s currently on your mind. This is a great practice for acknowledging your behaviour, emotions, and reactions, and how they impact others. A mindful leader can create a more positive work environment, promote a culture of well-being, and foster strong team relationships. This facilitates an improvement in team performance and long-term business outcomes.
There are many ways you can practise slowing down and strengthening your mindfulness day-to-day, both at work and at home.
Even if you just try one method a day, any slice of mindfulness will help clear your mind. Try them all out and find which mindfulness technique works best for you.
As a leader, you need to make sure your employees feel supported and that you have their back. Employees want to feel heard, especially with the hybrid workplace, and especially during one-on-one meetings. These meetings shouldn’t just be for ticking boxes on your to-do list, they need to be real check-ins that help you invest in your team.
Being more empathetic towards your team helps to build trust and creates stronger working relationships. When employees feel supported, they become more motivated, making performance and productivity increase.
When people quit, they tend to leave their managers, not their job. So how can you be an empathetic leader that supports and encourages your team?
Empathy is one part of building stronger emotional intelligence. Building empathy means connecting with employees and truly understanding where they’re coming from and how they’re feeling. It’s a difficult skill to improve, but practising these functions is a great start.
The success of any business is directly impacted by the performance of its employees. Properly managing employee performance helps you and your organisation meet strategic goals. This includes:
Managing people’s performance is one of the hardest parts of management. Because each team member is different, has different needs, and responds in different ways. Additionally, people can interpret constructive feedback and sensitive topics differently. Finding the right approach for a particular person that allows them to achieve their best is difficult, but incredibly satisfying when done correctly.
One of the most important steps in managing a team’s performance is setting clear expectations. If no clear expectations for a project or task have been set, or if the employee has misunderstood them, this can become a major cause of poor performance. Ensure you communicate project goals effectively and allow space to clear up any confusion or miscommunication early on.
Tip: Reward excellent performance. People do more right than wrong in the workplace, so don’t just give feedback when things go wrong. Recognise excellence in performance through:
- Shoutouts in a team meeting.
- Small gifts (like movie tickets).
- Offering a salary increase or bonus!
Aim to contribute to an overall culture of performance and productivity that values growth and improvement. Showing your team you will support them when they need it helps to keep them engaged at work. Here are some ways to foster this culture in your workplace:
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Culture isn’t just how the team interacts with each other and the business, it’s also the environment they work in. To be a successful leader, you must provide balance to the personal and professional lives of your employees and create a workplace that is a pleasant place to be. Leaders who make balance a priority for their team will notice:
If you are looking to be a successful leader, your goal should be to create a work environment that is pleasant, stimulating, and not prone to overwork and burn out.
One way to manage the culture of your workplace is by maintaining a healthy work/life balance for both you and your employees. It’s not enough to just encourage a healthy work/life balance in your employees, you must also show you value it within your own work/life.
Tip: Nowadays, it’s a lot more common for employees to look for work that allows them to feel like their life is more balanced and controlled over better pay.
A fixed mindset is the belief that knowledge and abilities are innate or fixed. On the flip side, a growth mindset is the belief that these can grow and be developed. This belief shapes how we approach challenges and problems. By facilitating a growth mindset, you are more likely to:
So, what does a growth mindset look like day-to-day? When stressful situations come up, you feel the tension in your muscles and the constriction of your thoughts. Then you notice the feeling. You take a few deep breaths. You visualise your viewpoint zooming out; expanding. In this pause, you search for the silver linings and growth opportunities. When you’re feeling centred, you zoom back in and share your insights with the team.
Leadership can mean stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing change. Don’t be afraid to try out new things and take risks. A growth mindset can be difficult to cultivate, especially if you’re not used to this way of thinking. Slowly incorporating it into what you do and how you see things is a great start.
No change happens overnight, so be patient and believe in your growth process.
Learning can come from anywhere. Continually seek to learn through your work, learn from your employees and coworkers, and learn through study. A great method is to learn from other leaders. Watch how they handle themselves in leadership situations and ask questions. Make note of how they solve problems and work with others, and aim to start taking on some of those qualities yourself.
Leadership boundaries are being challenged for the future, and leadership is no longer as linear as it once was. It’s not about ordering people around and waiting while others complete the work for you. Leadership is becoming more collaborative; it is about sharing the workload and encouraging your staff through leading by example.
On top of the important soft skills, many businesses want leaders to have a strong base of knowledge and experience to draw upon. A great way to invest in this and your future is by studying a formal qualification to solidify your experience.
Whether you are looking to move into, or are currently working in a leadership position, you will always find value in continual learning. By backing up your skills with a Diploma of Business (Leadership) (BSB50120) or completing a double diploma, you will stand out from other candidates for competitive management positions and open more opportunities for career and salary progression.
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