Six Ways to Become a Better Leader in Business

Regardless of which industry you wish to work in, leadership is one of the most crucial skills you can possess to succeed in business and in the workplace. As an entrepreneur, the success of your leadership can make or break a company which is why the most top-ranked organizations in the world pay out millions of dollars to hire a chief executive officer to run their business.

With this in mind, it’s essential that you understand what it takes to be a good leader when you’re placed in a management role.

If you’re in need of some help and advice on what it takes to become a better leader, the below six tips would be worth making a note of.

Work alongside those you’re in charge of

Although leadership is mainly focused on leading your team from the front, you should also be working alongside those you’re managing. Don’t be afraid of getting your hands dirty to help out your team as and where necessary, rather than simply delegating assignments to those working for you.

To fully understand how to lead your team, you need to get an insight into the work they do. 

Enroll onto a course

Leadership isn’t a skill that comes naturally to everyone and often takes a great deal of confidence to succeed in a management role. When placed in a senior position, many people discover their fear of losing friendships when having to be firm, however, it’s important to remember that your main focus is ensuring tasks get done rather than getting along with everyone.

Similar, it’s important you don’t possess outdated leadership tactics that no longer build on the company’s workplace culture. Those in your team are likely to be more confident in your ability to lead if you are continuing to train.

If you believe that you aren’t a born leader or feel that you need to sharpen your leadership skills, you should consider enrolling onto a business course at Suffolk University MBA Online. This virtually taught program will teach you how to think critically and strategically about your organization’s performance and manage changes in your company with a systematic approach when it comes to altering your team’s goals and processes.

Be humble

No-one wants to be under the supervision of someone who thinks they’re far more important than the team they’re leading. Therefore, you shouldn’t be afraid to admit your own mistakes, so your team members can learn when you went wrong. Revealing your more human side is a simple yet effective trait to build a unified and friendly workplace culture.

On the other hand, you should push for excellence within your organization, but understand that your teammates will also make their own mistakes along the way. If slip-ups should occur, you should take the approach of acknowledging the mistake and providing useful feedback on how they can avoid the situation occurring next time around, rather than a formal punishment. 

 
Inspire people

All good leaders have the ability to inspire the team they manage. If people are expected to complete tasks ‘just because you said so’, rather than believing in your goals, there’s a high possibility you’ll endure a high turnover of staff because they simply can’t stand to work with you.

If you wish for people to believe in your mission too, make sure you communicate your message clearly and accurately in order to inspire your team to work towards your goals.

Keep calm

Leaders never show their emotions in high-pressured scenarios as it simply isn’t professional or helpful to those around them. While you should aim to reveal your human side to your team, you shouldn’t appear to lack control or be overly stressed, as they’re essentially looking to you for guidance when things go wrong.

Stay calm and focused on giving your employees the necessary instructions to complete tasks and how to amend issues, but also, take some time out of the office when you need it in order to recharge. Take regular breaks or simply work from home as and when you need to, providing it’s easy to stay in touch with your team.

Be fair to everyone

Although it may seem like a given, it’s often the case that leaders and managers have their favorites, which can often cause friction within a team. Even if you happen to naturally get on with some over others in your team, you shouldn’t allow it to affect your working relationship by giving them added benefits. Ensure you’re treating each team member fairly in order to maintain a healthy working environment.