Whenever I start working with a startup to help improve its leadership, the first thing I like to do is study leaders in action and get feedback on how they are perceived by their teams.
Leadership can be hard, but I’m always amazed at how many people make it harder than it needs to be by forgetting a few basics.
Here are nine things to remember about leadership that make it harder than it should be, and help you become a better leader:
9 phrases that will make you a better leader.
1. Since you don’t do much of the actual work, you should focus on making your teams’ lives easier, rather than harder.
The role of a leader is to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of company teams to drive improvements. But adding unnecessary bureaucracy, holding long, boring meetings—especially ones that could be replaced by email—or requesting reams and reams of reports that no one is going to read, all do no good.
2. Your team of experts probably knows more about their work than you do, so stop telling them how to do it.
As a leader, you are not expected to be an expert at everything. In fact, you are expected to be an expert in leadership and get the best out of your teams. One of the best ways to do that is to tell your teams the results you’re looking for and then let them determine the best way to achieve them.
Few things tear teams apart more than not having their sense of value and self-esteem intact, because the boss limits their contribution to following simple instructions.
3. It doesn’t matter how long you’re behind people; it will not make them work faster.
Micro-management is a productivity killer. Not only that, but once you create a bad reputation, people will be reluctant to work for you, and many of your existing staff will look to leave.
You have to give your teams the space and freedom to succeed. It’s okay to check on them, but don’t do it every 15 minutes.
4. If you assign work to people who don’t have the skills, time, or tools to do it correctly, then it’s your own fault if they fail.
As a leader, it’s your job to put your teams in an ideal position to succeed. If they lack some key component, then you need to get it. People don’t accept responsibility if they don’t feel they can do the job, or if they don’t have everything they need to do it. If that’s the situation they’re in, then you haven’t done your job.
5. Mistakes happen – it’s how people learn. If you punish everyone who makes a mistake, people will stop trying.
Mistakes happen and we need to be able to tell if they were made through negligence or for some other reason. If it’s negligence, then maybe you need to take action. In my experience, these cases are rare and you need to create a safe environment where people can try new things without fear of retaliation.
6. Good work-life balance applies to both employees and leadership.
You need to take care of the health and well-being of your teams, so keep an eye on excessive hours and weekend work.
Don’t create plans that depend on the weekend and the weather at night, because when things start to go wrong, and they will, the hours worked can drive them crazy. It’s also good to encourage people to go home if it’s getting late. Nothing accumulates more resentment in workers than feeling that their time is not valued.
People will appreciate you more if you take care of their work-life balance instead of just taking them for granted.
7. It costs nothing to say “good job, well done”, and it might encourage people to do it again.
Recognition is one of the best tools in a leader’s arsenal. First, it costs nothing; second, it’s really easy to do, and third, it will motivate people to work harder. We all need to feel like we did a good job, and recognition lets us know. Don’t wait until people have done an amazing job before praising them. Start by acknowledging their effort because when you do, it won’t be long before you recognize bigger and better accomplishments.
8. Your job is not over once you give the orders; is actually when it starts.
Leadership is not just about giving the orders. It’s about putting your teams in an ideal position to succeed, supporting them on the journey by removing obstacles they encounter, and then empowering them to achieve success.
9. If you don’t do most of the work, you don’t get most of the credit.
There are very few things that kill the relationship between leaders and their team like stealing credit for a job well done. I use the word “steal” deliberately, as that is exactly how your team will see this, and it will have detrimental consequences in your relationship with them.
Remember, you are a leader, not a pirate – you are not entitled to most of the credit.
In fact, I encourage you to give all the credit to the team, which will make them appreciate and respect you more as a leader.
Don’t make leadership more difficult than it has to be. These simple reminders are not only easy to implement, but they will also have a very positive impact on both your bottom line and your reputation.
If you want to know more success phrases from other millionaires, click here!
And remember, if you are really interested in creating your own business, you can purchase our book “How to create a company while working: Discover how to manage your time, manage your money and motivate yourself while creating a company and working for another” , where you will find all the information you need to found your own company, without having to leave your job.
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