Being a good leader is something all entrepreneurs aspire to be, but not something they all manage. Too many people think that leadership is about yelling out orders and expecting things to happen their way or no way at all. In reality, leadership is a lot more nuanced than this and takes some serious skills to get right. Once you do, though, you can build a successful empire on the back of it and earn some respect along the way. Here are some of the best ways to be a good leader, and we encourage you to try them out.
Encourage Creativity
A staid and boring workplace that only has one way of getting anything done is not conducive to happy employees. Unhappy employees are not conducive to a great working environment. Before long, no matter how many tasks you try to get people to do, if they’re not happy in their jobs, they’ll find something else – or start their own business – and leave you to do the work instead.
This is why a good leader will encourage creativity, where possible. Employees will enjoy their jobs more if they’re given a little more leeway with their tasks, and productivity should even increase. Plus, your employees will have a much healthier level of respect for you. They might still do things in the tried and tested way, but the fact they have other options can be enough to keep them smiling.
Be A Role Model
If you’ve gone into business, you probably have a role model of your own. Someone like Gurbaksh Chahal, for example, who showed you what was possible. Knowing how it feels to have someone to look up to should give you an idea of how to be a good role model for your employees, too – if you can do it, you’ll be a great leader for them.
Some people work on a ‘do as I say’ system. They give out orders and think they are showing excellent leadership skills because their staff follow them. Yet what they are really getting is a lot of resentment and disgruntled employees. It’s far better to run your business on a ‘do as I do’ system, showing your employees what you’re looking for, so they know where to look for inspiration and advice.
Reward Hard Work
Motivation can come in many forms in the workplace, though the money that people make doing their job isn’t always enough to get the best out of them. Rewarding your team for hard work is a great way to encourage productivity in your workplace. Not only will your team have something to reach for, but you will also be able to build a stronger bond and rapport with them.
Rewards can come in many forms, but it’s always best to give everyone the same treatment. Arranging a night out, hiring a limousine, and treating everyone to a lovely meal is a great example of this, though you can choose exactly how you would like to show your team that you appreciate their work.
Be Passionate
Think about all the teachers and employers you’ve known. When you remember the best ones, we expect those people will be the most passionate ones. They were the ones who inspired more action and who made every lesson or working day a good one. To ensure you are a good leader, you must have passion behind what you do. Otherwise, why should anyone follow you and do as you are asking them to? Remember that passion and a passionate feeling about what you’re doing can be contagious, and if you can show your employees how much you love what you do, they’ll start to feel the same way, and they will be happy to follow your lead. Think how depressing it would be to have a boss who clearly hated their job…