6 Ways To Improve Your Effectiveness as a Leader

In today’s ever-changing business landscape, every leader needs to evaluate their effectiveness in delivering what the senior leadership team and their organisation want to improve their performance.

The truth is that more is expected from us than ever in a workplace that is short of resources and full of constant distractions. There is a need to manage and lead teams who struggle with their well-being, feeling overwhelmed and sometimes suffering from burnout as they strive to be more effective.

Here is the thing: Leaders are now playing a more crucial role in guiding their teams and organisations toward success in one of the most uncertain times any leader has experienced in the last fifty years.

But what does effectiveness mean for leaders, and why must we continually look for ways to get ‘better’ at what we do?

This week’s post will dive into leadership effectiveness and its significance and provide six strategies to maximise your performance.

What is Leadership Effectiveness

Leadership effectiveness is often defined as the ability of a leader to achieve desired objectives and drive progress and results within their team or, consequently, the organisation’s growth as a whole.

It involves the capacity to influence, inspire, and guide individuals and groups toward shared goals and the company vision.

Influential leaders achieve results and create an environment where their team members can develop and reach their full potential.

The Importance of Leadership Effectiveness Today

Effective leadership is fundamental to an organisation’s success, and here are several reasons why.

Hitting and Exceeding Organisational Goals

Effective leaders are adept at aligning their team’s efforts with the organisation’s objectives. They ensure everyone is moving in the same direction and working towards the same ultimate outcome.

Enhancing Employee Engagement and Innovation

Truth: Employees are more inclined to be engaged and motivated by a capable and supportive leader.

Intuitively, we all know that an engaged workforce leads to higher productivity, job satisfaction, and something vital today: retention rates, all critical factors in the skill short market every business is now experiencing.

Last month, I read Korn Ferry’s report about the global skill shortage . The study shared that by 2030, there will be a global human talent shortage of more than 85 million people, or roughly equivalent to the population of Germany. If this talent shortage is left unchecked, by 2030, it could result in about $8.5 trillion in unrealised annual revenues.

The summary shared that organisations must prioritise their talent and development strategy and take steps to educate, train, and upskill their existing people, including their leaders.

As leaders grow and develop, innovation must also be on their to-do list; when planning development strategies, setting goals to encourage innovation and creativity is critical.

Building and Developing Stronger Teams and Become More Adaptable

Being an effective leader is closely tied to building strong and connected teams where leaders are committed to the growth and development of all their team members. They provide coaching, feedback, and opportunities for skill enhancement, contributing to the long-term success of both the individual and the organisation.

Leaders skilled at communication, conflict resolution, and team building are what every organisation wants.

This will come from strong and adaptable leaders who can pivot and make informed decisions in response to changing circumstances and market dynamics.

Now that we understand the importance of leadership effectiveness, let’s explore six ways leaders can improve.

1. Develop Self-Awareness

Leadership improvement starts with developing self-awareness ; check out the search bar at the top of this post for several posts I have written on this topic.

Self-awareness enables leaders to manage their emotions, build better relationships with their team members, and understand their own strengths, development areas, values, and personal leadership styles.

2. Communicate Effectively

Communication is the critical cornerstone of influential leadership. Leaders must clearly communicate their vision, expectations, and goals to their team members, which, in turn, builds trust, alignment, and collaboration within the team.

Here are some ideas for improving communication as a leader, and if you want to know more about our communication training programmes, drop me a note here .

Active Listening and Dialogue: Develop your active listening skills by giving your full attention to your team members, asking clarifying questions, and summarising what you’ve heard. Create an open environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas, concerns, and feedback.

Be Transparent: Share information openly with your team, even when it’s difficult news; remember, transparency always improves trust.

Adapt Your Style: Use feedback well and wisely, tailoring your communication style to your audience’s preferences and needs.

3. Lead by Example

This might sound old school, and leading by example is a game changer.

Leaders who lead by example set a high standard for their team members. Your actions speak louder than words; when you demonstrate the values, work ethic, and behaviour you expect from others, you inspire your team to do the same.

If you aren’t exhibiting these behaviours, here are a few reminders.

Exhibit Integrity: Act with honesty, integrity, and ethical behaviour in ALL your interactions.

Embrace Accountability: Take responsibility for your actions, successes, and failures.

Show Work Ethic: Demonstrate a strong work ethic, dedication, and commitment to your role and responsibilities.

Prioritise Well-being: Promote work-life balance and well-being by demonstrating personal self-care and stress management; not easy for leaders to always model!

Continuous Learning: Lead the way in pursuing personal and professional growth and development.

4. Empower Your Team

Leaders who operate effectively use empowerment as a strategy. They encourage their team members to take ownership of their work and contribute to the business and its goals.

Empowerment involves trusting your team, delegating responsibilities, and giving them the autonomy to make decisions.

An easy way to do this is by setting clear expectations by defining roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations for every team member. Then, provide the resources they need, such as tools or training.

Always encourage innovation by creating an environment where team members feel comfortable proposing and implementing new ideas. This requires you to be supportive and available to guide as and when needed but also create an environment where you allow your team members to solve problems independently.

Your team will become empowered, allowing you to recognise and reward their contributions and achievements.

5. Create a Positive Work Culture

Leaders can and do have a significant impact on an organisation’s culture. A positive work culture promotes employee engagement, retention, and overall well-being. Leaders can shape the culture by setting the tone and demonstrating their effectiveness by implementing all the ideas I have shared in this post.

As a reminder, always manage your state, even when it’s hard. Humans are wired for negativity, so managing and developing a positive attitude takes constant work. Do this and watch your team become inspired.

Value and live a DEI approach in everything you do, say and deliver by creating an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are respected and celebrated. Follow this by encouraging collaboration across all teams you and your fellow leaders develop and guide.

6. Continually Develop Your Leadership Skills and Put Them Into Practice Daily

Leadership is an ongoing journey of growth and development. I refer to this in virtually every post you read here on the Zestfor blog and every email and newsletter that drops into your inbox.

Effective leaders continually invest in improving their leadership skills and knowledge. Whether through formal training, coaching, or self-directed learning.

I encourage anyone reading this post to register for all the training they can in their organisation. Ask for a mentor and coaching from experienced leaders or external coaches who can provide guidance and feedback.

Have your Amazon account on speed dial, download all the leadership books you can, and read them.

Developing your effectiveness as a leader is essential for achieving success for you and your organisation.

It’s time to create your plan and take action.

Until next time,

Julia

About Julia Carter

Julia Carter is the MD of?Zestfor?Ltd ?and specialises in working with leaders and managers of virtual and hybrid teams to improve team effectiveness.

At Zestfor, we deliver coaching and development programmes to support all leaders to become more effective in their roles. If you would like to know more?contact me here ?and I will be in touch.