The roles managers play in every organisation are becoming more important. We lead our people, we lead the business, and we must lead ourselves. Find out where to invest your time to become a great leader.
Being a great leader has never been more important. At the same time, being a great leader has become more challenging. We have just come through a time of significant disruption and are hurtling towards a period of great uncertainty. Right now, your people are looking to you to guide them, coach them and lead them into the future of the business.
Just like your team, it is essential that you continue to develop your skills and invest in your own growth so that you can continue to lead your team effectively. Who do you turn to for guidance and coaching?
Here at New Wave Learning, we know that even the best managers need a little help, so we've put together a Leadership and Management programme portfolio designed to help you become better leaders.
In a Salesforce survey, 86% of executives claimed that lack of collaboration and effective communication was the leading cause of workplace failures.
All-day long, you are talking, listening, presenting and sharing information. Your people and customers rely on you to understand their needs and help them find a solution to their problems. If you think about your day, you probably spend 80% of your time communicating. This is why finessing your communication skills is vital to improving as a leader.
To help you improve this business-critical skill, here are a few strategies you can think about and work on improving:
As leaders, we often find ourselves doing a lot of the talking. We must communicate the strategic direction and share news and important information with our team and the wider business. But if we are always doing the talking, we aren't learning about the people around us.
Good leaders will have taken plenty of time to get to know the people around them, but it can be easy to start making assumptions about them and what they think or even feel in any situation.
Becoming a great leader involves putting yourself to the side. Ask the individuals in your team exactly what their thoughts are, and actively listen without thinking about what your response should be. Active listening is giving the person you are communicating with your complete and full attention.
Studies have shown that 70-93% of all communication is non-verbal.
What is your body saying as you are communicating? Do you glance at your phone as an email comes in, or are you fully attentive to the person you are talking with? Do you take notice of your tone of voice? You might feel stressed and under pressure as a team member comes to ask to schedule their holiday time off. Will your tone convey happiness at their break or slight stress and disappointment that you are busy?
Taking a brief pause before we speak gives us the time to reset from any current stress and align our tone of voice with the conversation we need to have.
Practice using the ideal body language in each situation you will find yourself in. If you are looking to inspire, you can't be slouching. Eye contact and warm smiles will convey interest, trust and rapport in your communication.
With a shift to hybrid and remote working, making yourself available has never been more important. You might not be able to glance at your team and notice who is unhappy or who might need some support. Your people also won't be able to pass your desk and ask a quick question.
You should create a virtual open-door policy if you haven't already. This policy doesn't have to be a formal call, but encourages your people to share their thoughts and concerns with you on a tool like slack.
For your people to acknowledge you are available, you must communicate in a two-way fashion. It is essential that your people feel like you share with them to inspire them to approach you when they need your help.
Two managers hold regular 1-2-1's with their team.
The first manager uses her time uncovering the problems her team face at work and helps to create solutions and coach them individually towards better performance.
The second manager uses her time to move beyond work. They are actively interested in what is happening in her people's lives. What their personal goals are as well as their career goals. Each time they communicate, she reaffirms the individuals' objectives, adapting to changes in their personal life.
When you communicate beyond the day-to-day working life, understand your people's missions, and work with them to help relieve pressure and push them to achieve when they can, you will transition from a good manager to a great leader.
As a leader, your people look to you to connect their work with your organisation's strategic vision and values. Sometimes it can be challenging to understand how we fit into the machine that serves customers.
You should work on your ability to paint a picture of the work your people are doing and what that means for the company. When you actively discuss the organisation's future, your people feel more engaged and connected to the outcomes. Every role has value to an organisation. Without the finance, team sales would not be processed, and customers would not be helped. Developing a communication style that highlights appreciation and shares all of the company's success with every person changes you into a true leader.
The roles managers play in every organisation are becoming more important. We lead our people, we lead the business, and we must lead ourselves. Investing your time in improving your communication is the first step towards becoming a great leader capable of leading a great business.
Explore our communication skills programmes, click here.
Being a great leader has never been more important. At the same time, being a great leader has become more challenging. We have just come through a time of significant disruption and are hurtling towards a period of great uncertainty. Right now, your people are looking to you to guide them, coach them and lead them into the future of the business.
Just like your team, it is essential that you continue to develop your skills and invest in your own growth so that you can continue to lead your team effectively. Who do you turn to for guidance and coaching?
Here at New Wave Learning, we know that even the best managers need a little help, so we've put together a Leadership and Management programme portfolio designed to help you become better leaders.
In a Salesforce survey, 86% of executives claimed that lack of collaboration and effective communication was the leading cause of workplace failures.
All-day long, you are talking, listening, presenting and sharing information. Your people and customers rely on you to understand their needs and help them find a solution to their problems. If you think about your day, you probably spend 80% of your time communicating. This is why finessing your communication skills is vital to improving as a leader.
To help you improve this business-critical skill, here are a few strategies you can think about and work on improving:
As leaders, we often find ourselves doing a lot of the talking. We must communicate the strategic direction and share news and important information with our team and the wider business. But if we are always doing the talking, we aren't learning about the people around us.
Good leaders will have taken plenty of time to get to know the people around them, but it can be easy to start making assumptions about them and what they think or even feel in any situation.
Becoming a great leader involves putting yourself to the side. Ask the individuals in your team exactly what their thoughts are, and actively listen without thinking about what your response should be. Active listening is giving the person you are communicating with your complete and full attention.
Studies have shown that 70-93% of all communication is non-verbal.
What is your body saying as you are communicating? Do you glance at your phone as an email comes in, or are you fully attentive to the person you are talking with? Do you take notice of your tone of voice? You might feel stressed and under pressure as a team member comes to ask to schedule their holiday time off. Will your tone convey happiness at their break or slight stress and disappointment that you are busy?
Taking a brief pause before we speak gives us the time to reset from any current stress and align our tone of voice with the conversation we need to have.
Practice using the ideal body language in each situation you will find yourself in. If you are looking to inspire, you can't be slouching. Eye contact and warm smiles will convey interest, trust and rapport in your communication.
With a shift to hybrid and remote working, making yourself available has never been more important. You might not be able to glance at your team and notice who is unhappy or who might need some support. Your people also won't be able to pass your desk and ask a quick question.
You should create a virtual open-door policy if you haven't already. This policy doesn't have to be a formal call, but encourages your people to share their thoughts and concerns with you on a tool like slack.
For your people to acknowledge you are available, you must communicate in a two-way fashion. It is essential that your people feel like you share with them to inspire them to approach you when they need your help.
Two managers hold regular 1-2-1's with their team.
The first manager uses her time uncovering the problems her team face at work and helps to create solutions and coach them individually towards better performance.
The second manager uses her time to move beyond work. They are actively interested in what is happening in her people's lives. What their personal goals are as well as their career goals. Each time they communicate, she reaffirms the individuals' objectives, adapting to changes in their personal life.
When you communicate beyond the day-to-day working life, understand your people's missions, and work with them to help relieve pressure and push them to achieve when they can, you will transition from a good manager to a great leader.
As a leader, your people look to you to connect their work with your organisation's strategic vision and values. Sometimes it can be challenging to understand how we fit into the machine that serves customers.
You should work on your ability to paint a picture of the work your people are doing and what that means for the company. When you actively discuss the organisation's future, your people feel more engaged and connected to the outcomes. Every role has value to an organisation. Without the finance, team sales would not be processed, and customers would not be helped. Developing a communication style that highlights appreciation and shares all of the company's success with every person changes you into a true leader.
The roles managers play in every organisation are becoming more important. We lead our people, we lead the business, and we must lead ourselves. Investing your time in improving your communication is the first step towards becoming a great leader capable of leading a great business.
Explore our communication skills programmes, click here.
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