Whether you are building a team from the ground up as a relatively new business, or just want to set your employees up for success, it's a good idea to prioritize the development of leadership skills. While some might think this need is most pressing for those on your management team, it's actually vital for every person — from the entry level all the way up to the executive suite — to develop a knack for leadership.
Why? The answer is simple: The skills that make a good leader make a good employee. Consider that leadership really boils down to a few key skills, such as effective communication, an analytical eye, influence, responsiveness and empathy. Are these not skills that would benefit your receptionist, a machinist on the factory floor and members of your sales team, in addition to middle managers and executives?
Bringing the right mindset
One of the things that can hold any company back is when employees take the attitude of, "That's not my job." Passing the buck is the opposite of good leadership, and whether it's someone not cleaning up a spill in the break room or a vital team email that goes unreturned, you can't afford to have that attitude take hold. But according to Trello, when people understand the value of leadership, all the little things come together, in the form of both visible accomplishments (like meeting sales goals) and all the invisible efforts that undergird those achievements.
Workers can also lead their own leaders — by being proactive about suggesting potential changes to supervisors, who should always be willing to listen. They should take the approach symbolized in the expression, "There's no such thing as a bad suggestion."
Setting the standard
When everyone is on the same page as to the leadership skills your company expects from them, it's easier to succeed both individually and as a group. Runrun noted that because good leaders practice what they preach, consistently work in pursuit of a clear goal (no matter what problems arise) and hold themselves and others accountable, aligning everyone's expectations has a big impact on operational success.
A hidden benefit
You might also want to highlight to your employees that these skills won't just serve them well in business. Michigan State University pointed out that many of the tools you want to put in your employees' professional toolboxes will help them in life, when things inevitably don't go the way they expect. When people are more resilient in their non-work lives because they're self-starting problem-solvers who continually strive to live up to their own standards, that helps them personally while benefiting your business overall.
When you're looking for decision-makers that can steer your company in the right direction and instill that critical leadership mentality into everything your company does, YES Partners is here for you. To see some of the roles that we have already successfully placed, click here.
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