There are many books about leadership and managing people – former/current leaders are always willing to share their thoughts on what made them best. While each has their own philosophy, style, and passion – it all comes down to three things.
Yes – employees are expect three things from their leaders.
- Fairness
- Communication
- Coaching
The concepts sound simple enough however if you are able to master them you will be well on your way to being a great leader. Mastering these in your own style and philosophy will allow you to show your authentic leadership style that your employees will admire and follow.
Fairness. This is about holding each person who works for you to the same standard. For example: don’t tolerate rude behavior in one employee and discipline another for doing the same. The opposite of this example would be expecting all your employees to perform at the highest level – not tolerating poor performance.
Communication. Tell, explain and show to your people where the company is going, what you want to achieve, and what your customers expect. The format and manner is up to you – the important part is that you share and don’t let them guess or worse let the rumor mill take over. Sometimes that means sharing bad news – show empathy and understanding and they will respect you.
Coaching. Some may prefer to call it guiding, performance feedback, or setting expectations. Whichever term you use it is about helping your people work better, perform to a higher standard and treat your customer’s well. This can be done through training, one-on-one meetings, or a formal review process – again your choosing.
They appear straight forward and easy to do however if you are not accustomed to working this way it will take conscious thought and dedication to make it an everyday part of your leadership.
What else would you include in this list?