Learning how to bring out the best in others is one of the most significant things you will ever do as a leader.
Once you have confidence in yourself and feel you’re on the road to be the person you want to be, it’s time to switch gears and focus on bringing out the best in others. Here are 7 ways you can empower those you serve as leader.
Appraise carefully
Often, the best way to start is with evaluation. If you give inexperienced people too much responsibility or authority too early, you could be setting them up for failure. On the other hand, if you move too slowly, people will feel bored, discouraged or disheartened. People genuinely want to succeed, and as a leader it’s your job to appraise and evaluate them so you can equip them with what they need in order to develop.
Model the way
Even the most successful people expect their leaders to provide an example. You have the opportunity (and the obligation) to show people how to lead. Model the attitude, work ethic and the standards you want to see in others.
Believe in their success
As a leader, you need to make people to believe they can succeed and show them that you want and expect them to. People need to hear that you believe in them. Tell them often that you know they’re going to succeed and give them reinforcements as often as you can. Once people recognize that you genuinely want to see them do well and are committed to helping them, they will begin to believe that they can accomplish what you set out for them.
Give feedback
As a leader, it’s your responsibility to give people honest, positive feedback and to mentor and coach them through their mistakes and misjudgements. Feedback should never feel like criticism but should be communicated with empathy and caring.
Give them power
Many people in leadership are willing to give others responsibility, they gladly delegate tasks—but empowering others means sharing your power and ability to get things done. People only become strong and effective when they have the opportunity to make decisions, act to solve problems and meet challenges.
Offer public praise
Tell people publicly how much confidence you have in them. As you raise people up, show them your confidence in them and you will find how quickly they’ll be willing to live up to your expectations.
Give autonomy
The best way to see people succeed is to free them to continue on their own. Give them the skills to make decisions and succeed, then give them the autonomy to go forth and do it for themselves.
Bringing out the best in others is a win-win situation. It frees you up as a leader to have more time for the important things, and it can increase the effectiveness of your team and company. Most importantly though, it’s the right thing to do. When you bring out the best in others, you have an incredibly positive impact on the lives of the people you empower.
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