Business owners, managers and c-suite executives have to make a lot of important decisions. These business leaders are also largely responsible for the job performance of their subordinates. As Americans battle with an abundance of societal issues during one of the more trying years in the nation's recent history, it's important that business leaders help them so that they can perform to this best of their abilities.
The following are eight things done by leaders who get the most out of their teams, according to Entrepreneur.
1. Clearly communicate
Nearly two in three Americans say they trust the information they get from their employer regarding the COVID-19 pandemic more than then what they get from government websites or traditional media. This means that the directions provided by leadership are of importance. But for the message to be impactful, leaders must communicate in a clear and transparent fashion.
2. Build chemistry
It helps if employees can create a bond with one another. Leadership can facilitate this bond by setting a little bit of time aside for people to become better acquainted. Entrepreneur suggests this could be as simple as starting a team meeting with a chat about shared interests or recent successes. A chatroom could be created to hold appropriate conversation regarding sports or internet trends.
3. Maintain dialogue
Positive team exercises aren't the only way for leadership to foster trust with employees. Managers should schedule one-on-one meetings where they discuss with employees their aspirations. Group discussions of this variety work, too.
4. Be accountable
Leadership and employees alike need to be accountable for their actions. It also helps when leaders inform their workers on what they've been spending time on and why.
5. Teach
It's not always enough for leadership to tell subordinates what they need to do. They should also coach employees up on how they can better do their job.
6. Embrace mental health
Well-known companies are embracing mental health issues by exploring initiatives related to the topic. For example, Microsoft India is training its leadership and even employees on how to better understand mental health issues during a crisis.
7. Encourage development
Few workers want to stay in the same position and not learn more skills that will improve them professionally. A study cited by Entrepreneur says that nearly 40 percent of employees who are leaving their current roles say they chose to do so because they didn't see a path to career progression. Leadership would would do well to help all employees to improve and grow.
8. Make it personal
Leaders should avoid making "one-size-fits-all" decisions and instead get to know what each employee thinks about a big change before it takes place.