29 Oct How to Be a More Effective Leader With These 3 Actions [VIDEO]
Wise You,
Can you recall a time when a teacher, boss or parent motivated you to complete a task by relying on his or her authority? He or she likely used phrases similar to, “Because I said so,” “I’m the boss,” “You must do what I say.”
If you were the recipient of this type of authority, you may have acquiesced, but you were likely not happy to do so then or ever again.
When leaders use their authority to “make” others take action, people respond negatively. Trust between the leader and employee can degrade, and leaders find it increasingly difficult to motivate teams to rise to the occasion and perform at their best. It becomes a slippery slope of missed deadlines, unhappy customers and employee attrition.
Now recall a time when a boss, teacher or parent approached you with kindness and warmth to help with a project. Wasn’t your response to this request much more favorable?
An Effective Leader is a High-Warmth Leader
The Zenger Folkman study tracked 51,836 leaders and noted that the most effective leaders demonstrate actions that are perceived as high-warmth.
“If you’re seen as low-warmth, you have something like a 1-in-2,000 chance to make the top quartile of effectiveness as a leader,” said Loran Nordgren, an associate professor of management and organizations at the Kellogg School.
If you think you’re either born as a high-warmth person or you’re not, great news – there are many actions you can take today to increase your effectiveness. None of these actions require a magic formula. Instead, they require a desire, willingness to practice and the ability to try again when things don’t go as planned.
How to Be a More Effective Leader:
Follow these three Cs
1. Coach, Mentor and Teach
Employees want more from leaders than someone to manage their efforts. Employees want an effective leader who teaches new skills, shares lessons learned and spends time developing them as an individual. They also seek praise, acknowledgement and regular feedback – not just during the annual review process.
2. “Clarity is Kind”
Brene Brown writes in her book, Dare to Lead, “Clarity is kind.” People want to know your expectations and framework to be successful. Provide clarity at the beginning and every step along the way of your relationship and initiatives.
3. Consistency is Key
If you’ve ever had someone lie to you and then act like nothing happened, it can be confusing and disheartening. You likely question everything he or she said and did moving forward. Keep your word and commitments. When you make a mistake, own it and apologize.
Did any of these three high-warmth actions strike a chord with you? If so, which action will you take this week to help you be a more effective leader? Send me an email or leave a comment below.
Cheers to you,
Jennifer