Positions of power are not to be taken lightly. When you are given a role in leadership or management that carries great responsibility, you should always handle with care. For some people, they let the power go straight to their heads, and it creates tension for everyone. No one likes a power struggle. No matter if you're managing employees, a country, or anything in between, these are a few rules to become a great leader, instead of a boss.
1. Don't tell anyone to do something you wouldn't do yourself.
Bosses tend to sit back and watch everyone do the work, without pitching in to help. They also tend to be uninformed as to how difficult the work actually is, because they choose not to step into their team's shoes. Leaders, however, have been through the same experiences and can offer advice and help when needed. They would never ask someone to do something they wouldn't do.
2. Offer constructive criticism.
The key word here is constructive. As a leader, you can't always harp on your employees for no reason. That's what a boss would do. A quick tip is to offer a compliment or a kind word at first, then talk about the areas that could use improvement, set goals for that area, and then end on a positive note.
3. Make your team feel appreciated.
When everyone on a team feels valued and appreciated, the machine becomes well oiled and runs much smoother. It's important to always let your people know that without them, this whole thing wouldn't be possible. A team that feels appreciated will always work above and beyond what is expected, because they feel their work is of great value.
4. PRACTICE GOOD COMMUNICATION.
This is a BIG one. If a team has bad communication, everything will go downhill. Bad communication leads to frustration, which leads to the team not working at their full potential. There's also a greater chance for mistakes when bad communication happens. Make sure that your team communicates effectively enough to get the job done.
5. Set and achieve goals.
A team with no goals is a team that is flatlining and going nowhere. Always make sure to set goals for your team, whether they be daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, whatever! Goals keep the team on their toes, and it keeps you personally striving for greatness instead of mediocrity. No one likes lukewarm.
6. Offer incentives for your team.
Bosses tend to push and push their team with no reward, and that's not fair. Leaders offer their team incentives for every goal they reach, and this makes them want to reach that goal even more! It doesn't have to be the biggest thing in the world, just anything to show you appreciate that your team met the goals set for them.
7. Try to have fun.
In most professional instances, we can't always have fun time. However, as a leader, you have to let your employees let loose every once in awhile. Get together outside of work for a barbecue, do Secret Santa around the holidays, anything just to get more team bonding time in. No fun in the workplace is absolutely no fun, so crack a joke here and there (corny ones are the best).
8. Don't act as if you know everything.
Sure, leaders should be the most well informed people in the situation, but sometimes even leaders don't know what to do. Don't act like you know everything. That is a boss move. Let your people know that you will do your research and come to a conclusion, but that at the moment you don't know. It's okay not to know, it's not okay to let a question go unanswered. Researching the answer is easier than just letting it slip and causing problems later on.
9. Have good character outside of leading a team.
Be who you would be around your employees all the time. To pretend you're a superior citizen when you're clocked in, then being a really awful person when you're clocked out is not the way to go. Be yourself in the position you're in. Being a leader requires you to bring your own experiences to the table to help your team. Don't pretend as if you're perfect, no one is. Learn from your mistakes, but don't try to be someone you aren't.
10. Be humble.
Last but not least, stay selfless and be humble. Way too often we see that people in power like to let it go to their heads. A good leader will not let this happen. They know that the person they answer to put them in this position, and they can take it away easily. A good tip for this is to remember that you and your team are all equals with different job descriptions. Your job description is just to manage your team. That doesn't mean you are above or below anyone else, it just means you're playing your part to make the experience great.
Leaders are people who strive to keep their team happy, but also strive to keep them in line and to do the right thing. Leaders continue to grow and learn themselves, and vow not to act like they know it all. Leaders are strong, informed, and awesome. So, be a leader, not a boss.
