How to Be an Effective Leader in the Workplace

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader,” said John Quincy Adams. Now ask yourself, are you a leader? Today’s lesson is all about how to be an effective leader in the workplace and what differentiates top leaders from regular entrepreneurs.

7 steps on how to be an effective leader in the workplace

Serve first

When we move into a leadership role, oftentimes we move from a production role into a leadership role. It is key that when you make this transition, you focus first on serving if you want to learn how to be an effective leader in the workplace.

Takeaway #1: Make short term decisions with a long-term impact

In the end, you want to achieve long term success, so make choices that will make a positive long-term impact. Leaders always look at the long-term game.

Takeaway #2: True freedom comes with leadership

True freedom is directly correlated with leadership. Leadership comes down to your ability to get results through others. Ultimately, you need to get your team to a point where they can achieve results with or without you.

Truly understand what it means to be successful in every role

More than likely, you have held most of the positions that your team members hold at some point in time. If not, take the time to learn about the job so that you can invest in their success. You want to make sure you understand what it means to be successful in every role your team has so that you can help them to succeed.

Give a roadmap

Give your team a play by play roadmap for what success should look like. This will help you learn how to be an effective leader in the workplace.

Takeaway #1: Don’t be afraid to give them some freedom

Allow your team some freedom and flexibility while still providing them with the necessary tools to be successful.

Takeaway #2: Show don’t tell

Give your team a play by play, step by step roadmap. Show them what success should look like. It is your job to make sure they are pointed in the right direction.

Don’t Monday morning quarterback

We’ve all made this mistake before. You look back at your team’s results from the past week and you are disappointed. You let your team know you are upset, but you know it’s too late to fix what has been done. This can lead to deterioration in your team.

Takeaway #1: Get involved

Get in the game and coach in real time. Don’t just tell your team what they did wrong after the fact, make the effort to help coach them in real time. Help the team get back on track before it’s too late.

Work as hard at making your team successful as you want them to

Your team will mainly focus on day to day operations, this means that your job as a leader is to do everything in your power to make them more successful in the day to day. You need to work as hard at making them successful as you want them to work.

Takeaway #1: Your job is to make it faster and easier for your team to succeed

Focus on what you can do to make your team’s lives easier and make the whole operation run smoother.

Takeaway #2: Systematize and automate

Help your team to systematize and automate. Leverage your team’s strengths. After all, it’s the teams that stay together that are the most successful. Learn how strengths and weaknesses in your team can combine and work together.

Be clear, consistent, and trustworthy

This may seem simple and obvious; however, many leaders are still struggling in these areas. Ask yourself: How can I be more clear in my communication? How can I be more consistent? Does my team know that they can count on me?

Focus on what’s in it for them

Don’t just focus on what’s in it for the company, focus on what’s in it for them! Anytime you want to get someone to do something in life, you need to focus on what’s in it for them. People care most about their own dreams, results, outcomes. Make sure it’s a win-win situation for everyone.