BUSINESS LEADERSHIP 101 Lead by Example not Fear
help and may even do them harm. Effective business leaders encourage open communication in the workplace which is important to keep the business on target and you have people feel and believe that they are part of the process and not just a work horse to a corporate goal. Team members are afraid of making an error – We all have great ideas and we all have ideas that are not so great. Good leaders understand that we fail as much as we succeed. If employees are always in fear of messing up, they will not bring the best efforts to the table. Your job as leader is to bring the best out of people, and that’s not possible in a climate of fear. You must encourage them to think and work outside of the box and that no idea is stupid, but an opportunity to uncover more possibilities. Team members stop wanting to stand out for their efforts - A fear culture at work makes it hard for employees to be their true selves, offer positive or constructive feedback as they fear making waves or standing out. When this is the culture at work most employees try to avoid being noticed, which can kill productivity and growth of any business. It is important as a leader to get your teams involved, but calling them out by encouraging them to be part of the processes and to take ownership of their ideas and offering feedback to better their roles and or the business itself. Employees that feel that they have input have a positive impact on innovation and production and tend to create a more positive work environment overall. Knowing your team, and your business needs is part of being a great leader. Recognizing your employ- ee’s talents and letting them shine with opportunities is also important as a leader because if you do not there are other companies and business leaders that will, that I can assure you.
by Calli Gregg
T he best leaders understand their employees and what motivates them, but more importantly, what does not. Good leaders generally, with some direction, let their employees and teams do what they were hired to do. Good leaders understand that their employees do not want to be micromanaged as they perform their duties and they certainly will not respond well to policies or rules that make them feel as if they are under constant watch by big brother. Some leaders believe the best results come by leading with fear however it creates a workplace that is marked by low morale and high turnover and most likely lower than expected production. Here are a few tell tale signs that your business’s leadership team might be leading from fear and ways that you can change the culture of your business and create a better working environment for yourself and your team while achieving the goals of the business: Team members are not interacting with each other - When team members keep to themselves and avoid collaborating or interacting with others can be that they fear stepping out of their comfort zone. If your employees’ main goal is to keep their heads down and stay in their own lane, your organiza- tion won’t be competitive. True leaders will encourage interaction with others and have employees challenge themselves to look outside the box for answers and or solutions. It is your job as a business leader to encourage this at all times. Team members are afraid to speak the truth - When team members are afraid to tell the truth because they feel they will not be heard or that a possible solution to an issue will not be welcome they will keep problems and challenges to themselves because they know that bringing them into the open won’t
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JUNE 2020 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020
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