Getting the Best From Your Team

“The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already.”
John Buchan

Whether you have 100 employees or 2, or even if you just want to be a leader among colleagues, it’s important to remember that everyone has the capacity to do great things, but it takes someone to believe in and push people to get them to do their best. So what can you do to become a more effective leader?

Get to know each individual. Engage your employees and colleagues in discussions about their interests and passions. Really listen and remember what they say. Recognizing birthdays, learning the names of family members, and even connecting over favourite pastimes will help make the people around you feel unique and cared about. It will also help you understand how to best motivate them to get the job done.

Admit when you’re wrong (sometimes). Don’t be afraid to ask for help or admit you’ve made a mistake. Showing some humility will let your team know that you value their honesty and input and that they are instrumental to your success. Just be sure not to overdo it—show confidence in times of stress to keep the team focused.

Set specific goals and recognize accomplishments. If you set clear goals and recognize successes, your team will be more effective and more enthusiastic all around. Push your employees to grow and challenge them with loftier goals, but make sure every goal is attainable. When people fall short, focus on what they can do better next time, not where they have failed this time.

Give people a lot to live up to. Dale Carnegie used to say, “Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.” This means that when you remind people what they do well, they will be that much more eager to prove you right. So when assigning a tough task that nobody else wanted to take on, tell your employee, “You’re the most capable person for the job and I know your insight will make this project a success.” If someone has let you down, say, “I know you are a resourceful person, that’s why I’m sure you can do better next time.”

Stay the course. Don’t experiment with all kinds of managerial styles—find what works for you and stick with it. A consistent approach will help build trust between you and your employees, and will show people what kind of attitude you value.