If the most important asset of any organization is its people, then it makes sense to say that employee morale can make or break a workplace.
When it comes to building morale, it isn’t enough to staff your team with enthusiastic and knowledgeable people. Think about it — have you ever had a job that you had the skillset and passion to do, but still felt very dissatisfied going to work every day? When the culture of your workplace is unsupportive or unpredictable, a dream job can easily become, well, just a job.
Companies cannot thrive when their staff feel burnt out and frustrated.
Morale starts with managers and supervisors. Leaders have the incredible opportunity to set the tone for the rest of their staff. A strong, positive, and dedicated leader can encourage employees to work to their full potential — inspiring them to thrive in the workplace and help achieve their company’s goals.
How Great Leaders Inspire Excellence
Great leadership cannot be defined in simple terms. Every leader has their own unique style, approach, and personality. There are, however, certain qualities and traits that exemplify effective leadership.
#1: Be a Clear Communicator
One trait that unifies all esteemed leaders? Clear and effective communication.
Great leaders offer their employees direct and thorough guidance. Think about a time when you were reprimanded for incorrectly doing something that you weren’t exactly sure how to do in the first place. If you have been there before, it is likely that you felt frustrated and upset.
An effective leader will avoid putting you in that position. Leaders with exceptional communication skills ensure that their employees are well-informed — providing expectations and directives in a concise and considerate manner.
#2: Engage in Active Listening
A good leader doesn’t just talk. They listen, too.
Active listening plays a crucial role in establishing an effective line of communication with your staff. By listening to your workers’ questions, suggestions, and concerns, you create an environment in which they feel appreciated and understood. Employees who feel like valued members of the team are more likely to take pride in their work.
A boss who’s a brilliant listener doesn’t only benefit employees, either. By hearing their workers’ ideas and anxieties, supervisors gain new professional perspectives. Better still, they can collaborate with their employees to find effective solutions to workplace problems.
#3: Embrace Empathy
At the end of the day, workers and leaders both are people first.
To create a positive culture in the workplace, great leaders embrace the humanity of their team. They understand the importance of showing compassion and recognize how far positive reinforcement can go. Likewise, they understand that harshly disregarding their workers’ feelings can cause a fissure in the workplace — separating workers from supervisors and creating an “Us vs. Them” culture.
Furthermore, empathetic leadership allows employees to achieve better work-life balance. For example, if an employee knows that their supervisor is willing to give them the day off for their daughter’s recital (or even an occasional mental health day,) they are less likely to experience work-induced burnout.
#4: Establish Trust and Transparency
Would you keep trusting a friend whom you’d caught in a major lie? Assuming that the answer is a resounding “no”, the same goes for supervisors and their employees. Workers want a leader they can rely on and trust — not a boss who deceives them.
Transparency goes a long way in building trust with employees. When management is honest and transparent, they inspire confidence in their ability to lead. By being forthright about company policies, expectations, and initiatives, supervisors show their workers that they have their backs. This strengthens a supervisor’s relationship with their staff and lends to a positive corporate culture.
#5: Supervise with Self-Confidence
Employees don’t want cocky, self-righteous supervision. Confident management, however, is another story.
Confidence shows competence. Bosses who are confident in their professional know-how and leadership skills inspire the confidence of their employees. When workers trust in their supervisor’s expertise, they are more comfortable asking questions and suggesting ideas. Self-confident managers inspire self-confidence in their employees — bolstering their professional self-esteem and encouraging them to grow.
#6: Offer Sensible Solutions
When major problems occur in a workplace, whose desk do they land on but the boss’?
To lead effectively, one must have the capability to analyze workplace issues and troubleshoot the best possible solutions. Not only does this help operations run more smoothly — it also helps further establish trust between employees and their supervisors. A sense of security is created when workers know that management not only takes problems seriously but offers prompt and effective solutions.
#7: Create a Collaborative Culture
A leader is only as effective as their staff.
That’s why great managers don’t assume credit for their departments’ victories. Instead, they acknowledge the efforts of their employees — creating a culture of collaborative success. Furthermore, the best supervisors don’t embarrass employees for making mistakes. An effective leader understands that true growth happens in an environment where healthy risks are encouraged, and failure and mistakes are seen as opportunities to improve.
Why Great Leadership Counts
Let’s reframe this into the big picture. We know what good leadership looks like, but what does good leadership create?
Great Leaders Create a Positive Professional Culture.
Evidence of an effective leader is present in the workplace itself. Employees are more likely to look forward to work when they feel supported and valued by their supervisor. Employees’ positive energy can be seen and felt in a workplace — creating an office culture that’s both welcoming and productive.
Strong Supervisors Inspire Employee Loyalty.
Perhaps you’ve heard this saying before — people don’t quit bad jobs, they quit bad bosses.
Every workplace has employee turnover. Afterall, change is the only constant in life. Employees might move, change career paths, or earn more advanced positions. However, excessive turnover rates are a hallmark of weak leadership. In fact, one survey found that 82% of participants would seriously consider quitting a job due to poor management. Likewise, workers are more likely to remain in a position where they feel valued by their supervisor.
Effective Leadership Fosters Employee Growth.
While routine may help workers thrive, there’s a difference between routine and monotony. We may like knowing what to expect, but it’s natural to want opportunities to grow. According to a 2019 survey, 94% of employees would be more likely to stick with a company that provides them with opportunities for professional learning and development.
Strong management practices help employees grow. When workers feel secure in their professional environment, they are more likely to challenge themselves. By building strong relationships with their staff, leaders learn the respective strengths of their employees — helping them recognize opportunities to foster professional learning and growth.
Become the Leader Your Workplace Needs.
Here at Goodwin, you can become the leader you’re meant to be. Our Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL) program will teach you to embrace the unique individual that you are — helping you become the fantastic leader your workplace needs. The MSOL program is perfect for busy professionals looking to advance their careers. Our flexible scheduling options allow you to tailor your learning according to your own timetable.
Want to become an effective leader? Contact us today to learn more or call 800-889-3282.