Become a Great Leader, Not Just a Boss - Part 2

Skills Tips, Part 2

As part of my signature programme I coach many clients and I am frequently asked to advise on ways of improving their leadership skills. I thought I would share my best tips in a series of posts. (For Part 1, click here.)

Here are another four quick tips:

Always ask for and reflect on feedback
Feedback is a very useful tool in the development of the whole team. As the leader, you can set a great example for all your team to follow. Encouraging feedback makes the team feel they are listened to and opens the channels for positive, two-way communication. If you accept all feedback, and reflect and respond to it, you will learn and develop as a leader. At the same time your team will be following your lead and learning the positives of feedback loops.

Recognise the times when you need to behave differently
Do you struggle to get your views across to your team and make yourself understood? What’s the feedback from your presentations like? If you get feedback indicating your public speaking needs work, have you got the capability to make changes? Have you got the required skills or do you know where to go to get training and development and respond to those challenges? We can only change our own behaviour, so it is important to recognise the times when we need to behave differently and take action.

Believe in yourself
When the going gets tough you might find yourself thinking that only certain people are successful and great leaders, and you’re not one of them. Write down all the reasons why you should succeed and read through them every day. Start with 20 reasons: keep it simple to start with, for example, “I come to work every day”, and add at least two more reasons every day. This will bolster your self-belief and remove any negative feelings as to why you shouldn't be a successful leader.

There’s no I in Team 
I know this is a cliché, but is your behaviour tied up in your sense of self? Maybe you find it difficult to speak to your team as a leader because you dislike being the centre of attention. Take small steps to change this and do something different. Make different members of the team your centre of attention. Be interested in them and the challenges they face at work and how they manage. Gradually you will find that you will be the centre of their attention and that you have a more balanced view of how that feels. Your dislike of attention will disappear and interacting with the team becomes an enjoyable part of the day.

These skills can be learned and developed. You might already use these skills in your working life, but you might feel you can improve on them too. I can provide training, coaching or refreshers in how to improve your use of these skills, for your benefit and that of those around you.

Give me a call on 01497 820520 or email sallyherdman1@gmail.com to find out more.