I’ve worked in many teams during my career. Some led by open and dynamic individuals who encouraged drive, creativity and collaboration, some who only shared enough information with you for you to complete a very specific task, some who took no interest and had no insight into what we were working on and then a few who fell in between them all.From my personal experience, I can confidently say leaders who train, trust, support, encourage and engage have made me feel valued, helped me to realise my potential and in turn received my commitment, support and respect.
Harvard Business review says that the key is to be hands-on while giving your people the room they need to succeed on their own. This is something I actively try to take into consideration for my own management style. I think back to the best times of my work life and it’s always when I was engaged and encouraged. One thing I’ve learned from managing people is that it takes time, consideration, empathy and patience.
In an article for Forbes, William Craig explains his thoughts around Why Leaders Should Invest in Employees. He lists, and expands upon, 5 key reasons why it benefits a business:
He states that leaders should lead and be visionaries but often they get overly involved in the execution of the job, resulting in reduced or halted innovation and growth. Actively focussing on employee development helps in making sure a company and its leaders grow themselves and are more focussed on the future than the day to day.
Working for a business that will invest in employee development is a great start for any leader. Having the ability to fund and support employee development is crucial and in turn creates a talent pool of driven, creative, confident and loyal employees who are prepared for promotion and have a drive to progress.
However, if you want to have a meaningful impact, you have to engage with your employees on what is important to them and 9 times out of 10, it won’t just be work related. Helping your employees to achieve their personal goals, through their work progress can be invaluable to them.
If I account for the interests of the whole person, not just the work person, I’m going to get more value from them,
Stewart D. Friedman, Practice Professor of Management at the Wharton School and author of Total Leadership: Be a Better Leader, Have a Richer Life.
I can clearly remember the first time a Director sat down with me and asked me what I wanted, not from my career, but what did I want for me, my family, what kind of lifestyle did I want. That director took the time to help me realise how I could relate it to my career progress to those wants and, most importantly, helped me to build in the steps required to turn my desires into tangible goals.
People with goals succeed because they know where they’re going.
Earl Nightingale
The funny thing is, when I work from home, I usually end up doing more. I also don’t mind the late-night calls to our contacts in the US and Europe, because I know that my company will be flexible in return.
Listening to your team is vital. In an article by entrepreneur they say that Virgin is a great example of a company that listens to its employees. Virgin have realised that every person on the planet has the potential to come up with the next million-dollar idea. They say that some of them may well be within your ranks, and the only way to find out who is, is to let everyone share their ideas.
Richard Branson put it best:
Customers come second, employees first. It's a philosophy that brings unexpected benefits to both the company and its clients.
Leaders must recognise that they have the ability to have a really positive impact in peoples lives, for me the big things to remember and instil are:
In my experience, if you want to retain a great team, you have to strive to be a great leader, it’s therefore important to make sure that you actively encourage and accept feedback. Really consider it and take the time to develop your own skills and abilities for the better.
Life is tough enough, so be the best you can be and help others to do the same, have integrity and always focus on the positives.