Have you recently become a manager? Do you want to be successful at leading people? Have you found yourself frustrated? You are not alone! Too often we get into leadership because we are good at our jobs. Being good at your job has NOTHING to do with the skills needed to lead people who do the job! Here are four sure-fire skills to set your leadership skills soaring.
In the next 5-10 years the opportunity to lead others will increase significantly. Are you ready to step into leadership? Not only will business leaders be needed but community ones as well. AND entrepreneurs, must lead. Warrior-Preneurs understand the importance of leadership in all areas of their lives! Step up a lead!
1. Play Fair: Consistency with Performance and Personal Issues
What’s fair to one person isn’t fair to someone else. That’s why consistency is key when dealing with performance or personal issues at work. Creating consistent plans for these situations is your natural next step.
What’s with all these plans? Well, without them, you’ll be left to make individual judgments. And, no matter how fair you try to be, your decisions will likely be tainted by your preferences.
For example, say an employee is late several days in a row and doesn’t seem fully engaged in his project. But as it turns out, his beloved 10-year-old Border Collie died the weekend before. If he’s a top performer, you may decide to cut him some slack. If he hasn’t been meeting goals for some time, however, you may react strongly to his lax behavior and get tough once and for all.
Neither reaction is consistent or repeatable. Neither elevates you in the eyes of your staff, especially if you take a different turn in a similar, future situation.
Sit down and decide what you want to do in real-life situations that affect employees. If you encounter an unexpected situation for the first time, don’t react right away. Ask for time to think about your performance expectations and then create a plan for the future. If you run a community meeting how are you leading consistently? I set “policies” so my members see me as fair in how I select speakers, manage event time, and set a price. That means they show up.
Your consistent response and specific feedback will take you yet another step closer to becoming a truly outstanding leader.
Next post: Clarify Expectations!
If you act consistently, employees will know how to react to you. And that’s a big step towards earning their trust and loyalty.
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
