I’ve worked with many teams over the years and when asked how they think they are doing, they reply “Good, okay, satisfactory, etc”.
These are all words that we might hear that make us nod our heads and go about our day.
But when it comes to business, good just isn’t good enough. It’s words like great, amazing and spectacular that are going to really make us stop in our tracks and it’s those same words that are going to add up to increased income and getting a leg up on the competition.
For many businesses, the road to greatness starts with a strong leadership team.
A powerful executive presence will be effective in motivating workers to get the best possible results. While leadership coaching can be a good way to make the leaders in your company stronger, I’ve compiled a number of tips that may be useful for management training and high potential development.
Be sure to consider the whole company
Many leaders tend to base their decisions on what they feel will be best for themselves and their departments, not for the whole company. This selfish sort of thinking can really backfire, leading to tension in the workplace, overall discontentment, and ultimately, a failing company – which isn’t good for anyone.
If you are in a leadership role, examine your motivation for making the decisions you make. Try to be as unbiased as possible. Sometimes selfish decisions are made without a person truly realizing how one-sided they may be.
Work towards making decisions that take the whole company into consideration. These will be beneficial for everyone involved and make for a win-win situation.
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable
Comfortable is one of those words that can easily be associated with ‘good’ status. If employees do their predictable jobs every day, what can go wrong?
Well, the answer might be ‘not much’ but it also means that not much is going to improve either.
The business world is all about taking risks and going outside of your comfort zone.
Experiment with new ways of doing things to find the most effective methods. Brainstorm new products and services to come up with money making ideas.
Communicate
In any business situation communication is always key. Not only will it help everyone in your company get on the same page, but it will also help build trust with an emphasis on collaboration, not competition.
In executive team building, it is important to set aside times and means for communication. These can include regular meetings, emails or other types of correspondence.
Focus on the positive
While communication is key, the way you communicate will also play a big role in determining the effectiveness of your leadership skills. Focusing on the positive will help to this end.
Think about opportunities rather than challenges, and solutions instead of problems. Avoid dwelling on the negative and think of ways to make the company grow.
Regularly scheduled meeting and clearly defined goals will also help to this end, directing focus more clearly.
Define clear standards for performance and behavior
While it is important for your team to work together, each team member should also be assigned certain roles based on their strengths. This can help your company in the following ways:
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Increased organization: When each member knows what is expected of them, they will be more focused on their task and getting it completed.
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Increased sense of pride: Team members are aware of what their strengths are and will feel a sense of pride in realizing that a leader or manager has recognized these strengths as well. This will encourage them to feel more positive about the work they are doing and produce higher quality material.
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Increased accountability: When a team member knows exactly what is expected of them, they know they must be accountable for the work they produce. This reduces any gray areas or possibilities of shifting blame.
While all of these may seem like abstract solutions, putting them into effect in the workplace will yield proven results.
Companies who have adopted these methods in team development, experience amore open and comfortable professional situation that eventually lead to increased revenue for the company.
If you are in a leadership role, try working on the way you develop your employees to improve the running of your company. Making these changes is sure to provide positive changes that will make your workplace a more productive environment.
To your team’s success,
Simon
