Today’s managers juggle a wide range of roles, from recruiting and training to planning, budgeting and evaluating results. To get results and to advance your own career, you need a strong team that is willing to follow you wherever you lead.
The best leaders possess a number of common traits that inspire others to trust, respect and follow them. These include:
- Service
The best leaders don’t ask, “What can my team do for me?” but, “What hurdles do I need to remove from my team’s path so they can do their best work?”
- Fortitude
Teams want their leaders to have the courage to confront difficult issues, whether that means standing up to shady behavior from leadership or stepping in to settle a conflict on the team.
- Experience
Top performers on your team will look to you for their model as they plan their own future success. Managers who use their experience to build up their team members create stronger teams and stronger leadership bonds.
- Excellence
The best leaders never demand excellence, they demonstrate it. Set the bar high, and your team will reach it, because they see you expect and achieve the same high standards yourself.
- Fairness
The most inspiring leaders hold their team members to the same clear, objective standards they hold themselves. When your team sees the rules are clear and uniform across the board, they feel more confident in their ability to execute within those boundaries.
- Drive
Every day, ask yourself one question: “How will I make my team better today?” Tailor your answers to the people and challenges in front of you and take the long view. Setting your team up for success in the future may mean changing your approach today.
- Honesty
Show your team you’re also learning as you go. Communicate when you need help, not just when the team needs you. This honesty builds trust and ensures you and your team will be there for one another when things get difficult.
- Guidance
Giving your team the tools necessary and releasing them into the wild may sound easy. To build trust, respect and results, however, your team will need your guidance in the form of regular communication and accountability.
- Space
Balance guidance with the freedom your team needs to focus on their jobs and answer questions when they arise. Practice stepping back and letting your team take ownership of their work – both good and bad results.
- Passion
Cultivating passion on your team begins with demonstrating it yourself. Show you care about your team’s work and results, and your team will realize what they do is important – and exercise more ownership over it as a result.
- Recruiting
Perhaps one of the best ways to identify a strong leader is to see what types of talent are drawn to working on that leader’s team. Top talent knows what good leadership looks like, and they’ll work hard to land on the team of an excellent leader.
At Assigned Counsel, we help our clients reimagine their staffing, from leading strong teams to finding the contract help you need at exactly the right moment. Contact us today to learn more.