Follow These Tips to Become a Leader and Not a Boss

December 26, 2018

At first thought, maybe the terms “boss” and “leader” seem like the same, but in reality, they are quite different. In the workforce, it’s much better to be a leader for your team, guiding them to success, than a boss who just gives orders without a greater purpose.

Follow These 4 Tips to Be a Great Leader

  • Be a Good Listener

A leader listens to all the members of their team to learn about conflicts, successes and everything in between. Where a boss may only ask for informaiton from a few trusted employees, a leader knows each employee can offer valuable perspective.

By listening to every team member, a leader will hear about issues before anything becomes too big and unmanageable. They will also be in a great position to positively impact worker performance and productivity.

  • Encourage Self-Awareness

It’s important that a leader understands their team members vary in how they will process information. While some people like to discuss ideas openly, others like to communicate them in a private meeting or email. If bad news is delivered, some workers might want a walk to process the information, while others might want to quickly chat with a friend.

Along the same lines, team events should appeal to both types of employees. Bigger gatherings with fun icebreakers are great, but make sure to have some quieter mellow team-building events as well, so everyone feels comfortable to connect.

  • Seek Collaborative Solutions

Unfortunately, a boss tends to think that they know it all. A leader, however, knows that’s not the case. A good leader will seek to collaborate with team members on a variety occasions, especially if they don’t know the right answer or solution to an issue.

  • Show Support

It’s important for a leader to be actively involved with their team. Workers can see their leaders support them if they are working alongside them, truly engaged.

In addition, while a traditional boss might pass along blame, a leader understands they are always held accountable because of their leadership role. This means a leader is ready and willing to share both the ups and downs of projects and tasks.

Be the Leader Your Team Needs

For more advice on how to become a better leader rather than a boss, contact MS-IL Staffing & Packaging to talk to workforce experts.

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