Lynda Silsbee
Lynda Silsbee, B.A., specializes in human performance improvement, leadership and team development, performance management systems, and process improvement. Her diverse industry experience includes 21 years working with companies like Nordstrom, Genie Industries, and Vulcan Northwest.
Lynda is on the board of the Society of Human Resource Management--Seattle, is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources, and serves as an adjunct faculty member of Seattle Pacific University in the Human Performance Improvement program. She is a gifted and natural human developer who keeps an eye on the strategic mission of her clients, while empathizing with employee needs.
Contact Information:
info@pdgroup.net
425.889.5942
http://www.pdgroup.net
Knol
6 Steps To Becoming A More Effective Leader
What makes a leader great? One key skill is the ability to garner the support of others. And good leaders realize they must continually enhance their skills and set an example for the rest. This brief article offers six steps to becoming a better leader.
1. Listen
2. Plan and communicate your vision.
3. Discuss changes.
4. Provide meaningful feedback
5. Encourage disagreement.
6. Delegate responsibility.
1. Listen. Paying attention when vendors, customers and employees talk will improve your relationships with them — which can boost your bottom line. They’ll appreciate your interest and you’ll better understand their concerns, which may lead to new business opportunities. So every time someone speaks to you, focus on what he or she is saying.
2. Plan and communicate your vision. Workers look to their supervisors for direction, so you need to develop a clear vision and goals to accomplish your mission. Planning will help ensure changes occur the way you want them to. Moreover, share this information with employees and work closely with them to prioritize work.
3. Discuss changes. The way you communicate adjustments can significantly affect how your subordinates handle them. They are likely resistant to change and may be less inclined to implement modifications if they feel left out of the process. To gain workers’ support, allow them to voice concerns, make suggestions and ask questions. Be sure to consider their comments and follow up with answers promptly.
4. Provide meaningful feedback. Giving feedback requires courage and skill because, more often than not, you’ll probably have to tell workers when they’re performing poorly and make sure they understand how to change.
5. Encourage disagreement. Effective leaders realize that conflict and debate are necessary for improvement. So encourage workers to express their views to management.
6. Delegate responsibility. Learning how to give up control can be hard for some managers. But if they don’t, they’ll burn out or never advance because no one can replace them. Plus, other employees may leave for more challenging opportunities. Before handing over duties, assign tasks that match your workers’ talents and, if possible, interests.
Labels: communication practices leadership managing and supervising personal & career development success factors