Why should anyone be led by you?

Have you heard the old cliché:

"People don’t quit a bad job, they quit a bad boss?"

Perhaps you can think of a time when you’ve left a job purely because you didn’t get on with your manager? 

Leaders I speak to in every sector say that recruiting and retaining talent is currently the biggest barrier to growth. So there has never been a more important time for managers, to reflect on how they are as bosses, managers and leaders to create a positive environment and build a committed team. 

We fall into management

Managing a team of people is something that we often fall into. We get promoted because of our skill or ability, and suddenly we are responsible for other people. You need them to respect you, listen to you and be loyal to you, but it isn’t always easy. 

Here are my tips for being a better leader and understanding the difference between leadership and management. 

SELF-AWARENESS

Developing your leadership ability begins with some self-reflection and self-awareness of how your behaviour impacts those around you? What sort of boss are you - are you an inspiring leader or hands-on manager? Do you have rapport and trust with your team? Are you able to empower and energise your team? Are you consistent and able to keep your cool under pressure? 

It can be valuable to reflect on the best managers you’ve had or even the most inspirational teachers? How did it make you feel and how did it impact your commitment? I imagine the ones you remember inspired and motivated you, you will have felt they listened to and valued and as a result, you felt more committed and focussed. 

SHARE A VISION & INSPIRE

A leader needs to look beyond the day-to-day and ‘dream great dreams” Imagine your vision is to create a wildflower meadow and you have a team of people to do the hard work. A manager would give a specific list of instructions and tasks to each person - ask them to drill the soil, to plant the seeds in a specific way and to water it precisely. While a leader will share his vision of a beautiful colourful meadow, rich in biodiversity and ask the team how you can work together collectively to make that dream a reality. Which do you think is the most inspiring, motivating and going to get the best results? 

A manager’s job is to set operational objectives and standards, but as a leader it’s your role to communicate the vision, the big picture, and share a purpose and values in a way that will appeal to your team and that will motivate them to get out of bed in the morning. Make sure that even people with the most mundane jobs, can see how their role is key to achieving that vision. 

BUILD TRUST & RAPPORT

How strong are your relationships with your team, do they trust you and do you trust them? Without that individuals are only working for themselves and not for the team. Building rapport begins with growing your emotional intelligence, being able to see the whole person not just the worker, making time for one-to-one catch-ups and checking in on people’s wellbeing as well as just everyday tasks. 

Practice deep listening and paying attention to non-verbal communication as well as the words that are being said, sometimes the words coming out of someone’s mouth don’t match what their body language might be telling you. 

Are you able to keep your cool under pressure? How consistent and reliable are you? There’s nothing more tricky than tiptoeing on eggshells around your manager because you don’t know what mood they’re bringing to work that day. We’re all human and sometimes things can get too much, so if you do lose it sometimes, apologise, admit you were wrong and accept accountability for your mistakes. Demonstrating vulnerability is key to building trust. 

EMPOWER & ENABLE

To what extent do you give your employees autonomy and consult with them for their ideas and input? Give your employees the opportunity to contribute creatively, to solve challenges or own a project. Treat them as responsible adults, giving them agency to decide how they carry out their work (where possible) and to make a meaningful contribution to the business. This creates an environment where people feel that they are contributing to the greater good and will go over and above. 

SHOW APPRECIATION

It’s human nature to want to feel valued and appreciated. Feeling undervalued is one of the most frequently given reasons for leaving a job. While people who feel appreciated are more loyal and committed. Yet, we’re too often wrapped up in just getting the job done to remember to stop and thank people for their contributions. 

So as a leader, think about how you recognise people’s contribution, from small thank yous for getting a task done, to giving feedback to support people with their personal development or celebrating successes over a team drink. 

WHEN TO LEAD & WHEN TO MANAGE 

There is no right or wrong here, there’s a time and a place for both management and leadership. A good leader will be able to adapt depending on the person, the task, the context and the urgency. If you have a new starter with little experience or none of the technical skills required for the job, then you will need to be more manager, giving clear instructions and checking in on progress. In an urgent situation, for example, dealing with a difficult customer, again you may need to step in and manage the situation more closely. But when you are dealing with someone who is highly committed, whether or not they have the experience or skill, you can step back to a more supportive, coaching role, ask for their ideas and help them develop their skills. This gives them the chance to feel they are making a valuable contribution, to feel that they are being challenged and to grow their experience and confidence. 

Less experienced managers usually find themselves more at the directive managerial end of the spectrum, telling, showing, instructing, and often admit to micromanaging because it’s easier and quicker, but this is the fast track to creating low morale and unengaged teams. 

If you do one thing after reading this piece

Set aside a bit of time to reflect on how you show up at work, how your leadership approach impacts the people around you, why would anyone want to be led by you, what are your strengths and what do you perhaps need to work on?

If you are interested in exploring how these ideas apply to your experience and role, please get in touch about one-to-one coaching or my leadership development workshops.

Polly Robinson is an Executive Coach and Leadership Development Facilitator specialising in Working with leaders in hospitality.