“Leadership is the ability to facilitate movement in the needed direction and feel good about it.”
Never have these words from New York Times best-selling author Tom Smith rung truer than as we enter this new decade. 2020 is a milestone in terms of millennials dominating the global workforce. But whether an employee is a 20-something just launching their career or a seasoned veteran, everyone needs encouragement and support to reach and maintain their full potential.
Here are some ways you, as a leader, can inspire leadership in your team members – and make them the best they can be:
Reward and recognize.
Deliver praise for work done well. Implement a well-structured recognition program that rewards people fairly, consistently, and appropriately. As is true with as many relevant business decisions as possible, involve employees in this process. Peer – as well as executive – recognition carries a lot of weight.
Build strong teams.
No one should have to work alone, feeling job-related stress or challenges without assistance – or at least a “sounding board” colleague to lean on. Strong teams empower each member to complement and build upon the strengths of others.
- Create winning teams where everyone’s strengths shine through, and weaknesses are continually improved. With the right team structures in place, everyone will flourish and produce their best work.
Push people beyond their comfort zones – just enough.
Embrace the uniqueness and individuality of every employee. Without overwhelming anyone, encourage them to take calculated risks, try new things, and spread their wings. Immerse them in projects that best capitalize on their strengths. They’ll look and feel better and be motivated to work even harder. Last but not least, your company and its bottom line will also reap the benefits.
Foster growth and development.
A recent Gallup poll found that close to 90 percent of employees valued opportunities to grow and develop their careers. Yet, fewer than 40 percent of them believed they had “learned something new” in the past 30 days at work.
- Offer job-related training. In addition to your standard on-the-job programs, this might include lunch and learn sessions, bringing in speakers during the workday, and/or underwriting the cost of sending employees to workshops and conferences. Make it a trickle-down success by setting up a time for them to share their newly acquired knowledge and skills with others.
For more tips on employee and leadership development, contact the PrideStaff Fresno team today. We’re ready to help you grow your industry-leading workforce for 2020 and beyond.