Be an Effective Leader: 8 Tips for Leadership Development

According to one survey, half of the employees surveyed said they had left a job because of a bad manager. Of those, two-thirds believed their manager had not received proper managerial training.

Being a leader, like a manager, is tricky; you are responsible for motivating people to contribute towards a shared effort or goal. 

Leaders are what push that effort forward. No matter the goal or group of people, they are there to lead the charge.

If you're a leader, you may be wondering how to take your skills to the next level. Leadership development can sharpen your knowledge and confidence when it comes to leading groups towards victory, whatever that looks like for you. 

Read on to learn about our top 8 tips for developing leadership skills. 

1. Find Your Leadership Style

Leaders are remembered for their quirks and the memorable things that defined them. Leadership style is important because it sets you apart and lets those who work under you know what to expect when you work together. 

Do you know what your strengths as a leader are? If you don't, try asking a trusted few people what they think. 

More importantly, do you know what your weaknesses are? Write down any areas of improvement you feel you need to work on. Work on one at a time if need be.

If you want to work on them all at once, read your list daily as a reminder of what your goals for the day are. 

If you're not sure what kind of leader you are or what kind of leader you want to be, try to think of your favorite bosses, teachers, and other leaders. Write down what you loved about them and use that as a starting point. 

Once you have an idea of what kind of leader you want to be, your leadership development plan will become clearer. 

2. Be a Role Model

"Treat others the way you want to be treated" is a great motto when it comes to leadership. If you want your employees, volunteers, or whoever is working under you to do things a certain way, it's your job to show them the way. 

Leadership team development lessons are only strengthened when people see you carrying out the behaviors you expect from them.

If you want people to be passionate, exude passion in what you do every day. If you want your team to treat each other with compassion and understanding, be the first to display these traits when dealing with team members. 

When you embody what you expect from your team, your team will learn and grow right alongside you.

3. Care and Be Passionate

It's hard for people to care about what they are doing if their leader doesn't care! 

You must care about the work you're doing or the goal you're working towards. This means being enthusiastic about the subject matter and not being shy about sharing that enthusiasm when appropriate.

This also means caring about improving existing methods of working. You should always care about improving something even when it already works well. 

This also means caring about those who work with or under you and taking their concerns and needs seriously. If you are passionate about considering what others have to contribute and you will create a space where people feel seen and heard. 

4. Be a Good Listener

A good leader is only as good as their reputation. The best leaders you can think of were more than likely open to feedback because they knew that a good leader considers the points and opinions of others. 

Learning to be an active listener will make a huge difference in how 

Being a good listener will help people feel understood, heard, and confirm that their contributions are appreciated. It will likely make them feel like they can trust you as a leader and motivate them to share their thoughts and ideas. 

It will also give you a chance to expand your ideas and learn from others. Being willing to listen will also set a good example. 

You may even find yourself making better decisions more often when you take in others' opinions. You may find that making decisions after considering other perspectives is a good thing. 

5. Communicate Effectively

Communicating is the key to making any relationship work. Communicating is also the key to making any job or project successful.

Any good leadership development program will tell you that! That's why, over the last four years, the percentage of budgets spent on manager communication training has doubled. 

As a leader, it's your job to make sure everyone has the information they need to do their jobs or contribute. It's also your job to make clear what you expect from others and what your team goals are. 

Communication doesn't stop at verbal communication. You must know the best ways to disseminate all information across all channels. 

Is some information more effective when passed out as a flyer or sent as a group email? It's your job to know when it's better to call a group meeting and when it will be a better use of time to simply send an email. 

Good communication also means making sure your point comes across clearly. Was your message received the way it was intended to? If you communicate using clear, direct language, it should. 

When it comes to personnel relationships, make sure that any issues are talked through with an open mind and with good intentions. Know when details are important and make sure to think before you speak. 

Speaking with intention will usually lead you in the right direction. 

6. Recognize Good Work

Recognizing good work should always be part of your leadership development plan. 

Recognizing others for their hard or successful work will keep people incentivized. It will also put out the message that you are a fair leader and that work will not go unnoticed. 

When people feel their work goes unrecognized, it can weaken their desire to work towards any goals. This is why a reward of some kind can work in your favor and let people know that they are valued.

A reward can be anything you can think of that your group will feel is an honor to receive. Whether it's a bonus, an extra vacation day, or a small celebration, people will remember how you made them feel when they achieved their goals. 

You can also go a step further and give those with good work more responsibility. After all, a good leadership team is a true foundation for a good result. 

7. Be Flexible

Everything is going to be easier for you as a leader if you can learn to bend instead of break. 

You can make all the plans in the world but it's an inevitable part of life that, at some point, your plans are going to go awry.

The best leaders know how to roll with the punches and make unexpected changes work in their favor. Get used to thinking on your toes, it will serve you well when you're up against new or challenging factors. 

It's also important to be flexible in your ideas, stances, and answers. 

Keep an open mind when it comes to hearing what others have to say when it goes against your opinion. In fact, listen carefully when it comes to these. 

Recognizing when you are wrong and being able to admit that and change is an admirable trait in any leader. It shows you can humble yourself and, even though you're in charge, you are open to learning. This will also foster a sense of trust between you and others. 

8. Encourage

Any good leader knows how important it is to encourage everyone around them. 

Encouragement is important because it can have a powerful effect on anyone, no matter what they contribute or what their skill level is. 

Encouraging someone already successful sends the message that, despite what they have achieved, they can continue to reach higher.

Encouraging someone who is struggling will remind them that someone believes in them and give them the support to continue trying. 

Using encouragement to support someone after a disappointment can turn their attitude around.

Saying something like "I know you really tried and I appreciate your effort, you'll get them next time!" will leave more of an impact than focusing on the negative. 

Make sure to encourage people in ways that serve them. If you know some people flourish under certain circumstances, encourage them towards those. 

Leadership Development and More 

Being a leader means so much more than just being in charge. You must lead with intention and now you know some of the best tips to help amp up your leadership development. 

Check us out to learn more about leadership development programs, tips for being an effective leader, and more!