If your company includes a team of excellent employees who don’t seem to be performing at their peak, it might be time to take a look at your corporate leadership style. Errors in leadership can reduce employee effectiveness, cause unnecessary stress for everyone, and even create frustration which leads employees to start scanning the horizon for better opportunities. Here are three questions to ask yourself to reflect on your leadership as it stands today.
(1) Do I provide clear goals and instructions for my team?
There is nothing more frustrating as an employee than having a team leader who gives vague instructions and expects precise results. A good team leader takes the time to explain what he or she is looking for, outlines the steps each person should be taking to achieve the team’s goals and provides clarification when team members have questions. If you frequently find yourself looking at a finished product which is nothing like what you had in mind, you might need to consider whether your instructions to your team are adequate.
(2) Do I ever give my team members free rein?
Important as it is to give clear instructions, there are times when team leaders make the opposite mistake by being too controlling. A good team leader knows that there are times when it’s okay for employees to make some of their own decisions, or to run with an idea for a while before management makes a final decision on it. If you find yourself giving detailed instructions about what colour highlighter your team members should use or the exact sequence of steps they should take to clean the break room, you might need to take a step back and evaluate just how necessary that level of precision is.
(3) Am I open to feedback and suggestions from my team?
Every member of your team has their own areas of expertise and their own experience of working within your company. Good team leaders treat each employee’s knowledge and perspective as a valuable resource, and understand that valuable insights can come from unexpected people. For example, have you ever considered that the teenager who stocks your shelves might overhear a lot of customer feedback that never gets put through official channels? If you tend to ignore suggestions from your team or can’t remember the last time you asked them for feedback, this is an area you should look to improve.
Is it time to make some changes?
If you are ready to lead your team more effectively and improve your company’s results, career coaching can be the answer. Eiran Trethowan provides a wide range of services, drawing on her experiences in the corporate world to support your development in areas such as corporate leadership and corporate wellness. Contact her on 0466 495 711 or eiran@eirantrethowan.com.au for more information.