Patrick Dwyer, Boston Private on how leaders can keep improving.
All companies want to improve themselves from within. However, leadership can become bogged down with all of the demands from clients and employees. Learning how to lead effectively and continue to develop leadership skills will allow companies and organizations to create a workplace full of innovative, hard-working individuals. Some basic skills will help even the best of leaders become more adept at improving their organizations.
Publicly Recognize Employees
Everyone enjoys being recognized. While this recognition may look different from person to person, publicly acknowledging employees will let them know that their work does not go unnoticed. It will also motivate individuals who thrive off of praise. High fives, small gifts, or recognition at a formal ceremony can all be motivating to employees.
Address the Issue, Not the Person
If an issue genuinely lies with an employee, then a constructive conversation with them may be necessary. However, if the issue is systemic, be sure to address the system in question. By not pointing blame at individuals or groups of employees, leaders can cultivate a space where people feel free to share potential solutions to problems instead of creating an unproductive fear of speaking.
Support Employees in Their Successes and Failures
It is easy to support a successful employee. However, the leader who promotes continuous improvement will support their employees even when they have failed. Failure is how people learn, and leaders who view failures as learning opportunities instead of events that necessitate punitive action will help guide workers to more success in the future.
Ask for Employee Perspectives
There is often a reason why a supervisor is in charge. They typically work hard and have a deep understanding of the business. However, leaders who do not take any opinion but their own into account are setting themselves up for failure. Best practices say that leaders should continually ask for perspective from employees. Often, their perspective will lead to necessary change, and it will increase morale. Understanding that, as a leader, you are not inherently omnipotent will be beneficial when it comes to learning new things, receiving new ideas, and applying unique solutions.
Be Active in the Employee Community
Employees want to see leaders out of their offices. Instead of sending another email, leaders can walk around and talk to people. This is a learning opportunity for the employee and the leader alike, and doing this allows leaders to connect with employees on a human level.