Many new leaders believe that leading a team, or having the title, makes them a leader. Not true. There is more to leadership than sitting at the head of the table, delegating tasks, or being the owner of the company.
Whether you own a company, have risen through the ranks, or were thrust into a leadership role unceremoniously, there are four aspects of leadership that will ensure your team follows where you lead.
The #1 New York Times best-selling book Strengths Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why People Follow, addresses important aspects of leadership. Based on research as to why teams follow their leaders, there are four things critical for you to know.
Related: Leadership and the Power to Influence Others
There are 4 things a team looks for in their leader.
Trust
No team member will follow your lead if they don’t trust you. And, don’t expect your team to trust you just because you are in a leadership role. Trust comes over time and earned through your behaviors and actions, your consistency in decision-making, and how you handle day-to-day problems.
To be considered trustworthy, you need to look into your habits. Having strong moral and ethical principles determine your decisions and how you interact with others. If you do not behave ethically, neither will your team.
“Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” – C.S Lewis (tweet)
For your team to consider you trustworthy, be consistent with your decisions and behaviors and don’t repeat things told to you in confidence. Begin earning trust by asking how their day is, learning about their personal lives, and truly caring about their continued personal and professional advancement.
Compassion
Compassion is an important skill for a leader. Your team members expect you to listen to their replies and ideas without being brushed over or criticized. Really listen to what they say. Ask questions about their thoughts and ideas. Understand where they are coming from and be aware of the emotion behind their words. Your team members want you to listen and for you to contribute to their lives in a positive way.
“When you talk you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.” – Dalai Lama (tweet)
When you show compassion, employees are more engaged. They believe you, as their leader, care about them as an individual and as a part of your team. Employees are also happier when they can openly express their thoughts and ideas.
Stability
A leader’s stability is crucial to cultivating a successful team mentality. Stability not only represents consistency in behavior, but also confidence in the organization. Your team looks to you in times of crisis and stress. Showing confidence in your abilities to lead your team gives order and stability throughout day-to-day activities and to the company’s long-term success.
Show confidence where you stand with company policies and what your expectations are from your team. Stability is driven by your moral and ethical principles, not by public opinion, so erratic and inconsistent behavior will erode trust you are trying to gain as a leader.
Demonstrate to your team that you endorse a culture of freedom. Freedom to succeed and freedom to fail. Give your team members the security to do their best work, take risks, and try new and different things. By creating a high-trust environment, you encourage creativity and unique thinking.
“Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom of making mistakes.” – Ghandi (tweet)
Hope
As a leader, instilling hope for the future is important for you to show your team members. Show your team you are able to navigate obstacles and move forward to success. Give them the tools to do the same, either through direct instruction or encouraging them through support and guidance.
Your team members also look to you for their improvement, learning, and recognition of a job well done. In order for your team to improve and show success in reaching their goals, they must believe in you and in themselves. Positive emotions within themselves, and about you, encourage strong self-esteem. Hopeful thinking is knowing they can reach their intended goals.
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams (tweet)
As a leader, trust, compassion, stability, and hope is your responsibility to your team. How do you embody these behaviors in your leadership role?
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