As a leader, are you guilty of telling yourself any of the following lies? If so, the good news is that there are solutions that can turn each of these around. Read on.
Lie #1: I know what motivates my employees.
Ineffective leaders assume that dollar signs are the quickest way to an employee’s heart. Not so fast. Team members have a variety of needs that contribute to what will best motivate them. Some employees love to be social and work with others; other employees crave silence and independence. Knowing these priorities can help leaders better motivate individuals to reach team goals. While this kind of inside information can be hard to uncover, workplace tools such as DiSC assessments can be a game changer for many leaders. An assessment provides info that can’t be obtained from simply spending time with someone. Imagine if you had a decoder for how to work effectively with each of your direct reports. That’s what DiSC assessments can provide.
Lie #2: The less conflict we have, the better.
Ineffective leaders think that all conflict is bad and should be avoided. If you’ve ever seen something grow and thrive (a person, a relationship, a flower), you know that challenges and obstacles are part of what makes it stronger. The same is true for teams. Healthy conflict is necessary in any organization that is vibrant and growing. The problem is that some leaders are naturally conflict averse based on either personality or prior life experiences. Learning about healthy conflict, its advantages, and how to best encourage it on a team is one of the best things a leader can do to get better results for his or her organization. Healthy conflict helps teams to grow stronger, be more resilient, and uncover ways to be more profitable. The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team program is a great workshop to help leaders and teams learn how to have healthy conflict. Based on the best-selling book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni, this program gives teams a framework that reveals what it takes to be a truly cohesive and highly functioning team.
Lie #3: My people know I appreciate them.
Ineffective leaders believe that appreciation is implied, and they don’t make the time to consistently and sincerely take action to appreciate their employees. A simple e-mail or quick visit to someone’s desk can make a huge difference in that person’s engagement level and commitment to the team. When a person feels truly appreciated, they will run through walls to get the job done. A leader should never underestimate their power to transform the lives of the people on the team. Holding back on appreciation and recognition is a sure way to stifle the potential of the entire team.
True leaders constantly look for ways to improve their leadership skills, and they utilize necessary third party tools to help them transform their teams into high achieving, cohesive units that enhance a positive and profitable work environment.