Anyone can shout instructions, and any business with a good team can survive despite the person who is leading them. But great businesses are led by great leaders, people who understand that there is a lot more to leading a team than just giving instructions.
One thing that leaders know instinctively is that a business always runs better if employees have ownership in it. This means that they leave room for the team to come up with their own solutions to problems, rather than simply implementing what leadership has lain out. Not only does this lead to greater innovation, but the team will have more inclination to move forward with those ideas in an energetic and enthusiastic fashion.
Another thing is that they give attention, both deserved and undeserved. Everyone loves attention, especially when they aren’t expecting it. When a boss finds something tiny and unexpected to compliment, it shows that they are paying attention and appreciating the little things that everyone does. And sometimes, it’s a good idea to give a compliment like it could be self-fulfilling prophecy. People who receive compliments that they don’t quite see in themselves will sometimes work harder to make that compliment true.
Take the blame, even while giving the accolades to the team. The surest way to ensure employee loyalty is to follow this simple instruction. If someone makes a mistake or a team fails, a good leader should deal with the problem internally and then take the blame publically. Singling out scapegoats only creates an atmosphere of distrust and fear. The opposite is also true, if, when a team succeeds, the executive takes all the credit they’ll soon find their team leaving for greener pastures.
