So if you’re a mid-level manager at any company, you’re not just a manager. You’re a leader. It’s your job to motivate people to the point that they’ll look forward to coming to work every day, like their jobs, and want to be the most productive. It turns out that leadership is a skill that you can learn.
John de Ruiter is a great leader and a professional teacher. He teaches philosophy at the College of Integrated Philosophy in Edmonton, Canada. Thus, feel free to learn from him. John de Ruiter is also a well-known motivational speaker and delivers his speeches in college seminars and meetings.
Here are five effective ways to improve your leadership abilities.
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Motivate Others To Perform At Their Best
So you have to practice what you teach others as a leader. You need to see the best in people at all times. It can start as a nice and well-placed compliment regarding their commitment to working hard to increase productivity.
You don’t have to stop there, though. Offer over-performing employees bonuses and special rewards after the project is completed.
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Be Honest
People value honesty and integrity in others, especially in leaders. It shows that these people have character and good values. Team members are motivated to overperform and listen to managers they perceive to have good character and values. Therefore, don’t be like Pinocchio when interacting with your employees.
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The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword
Alexander Pope immortalized that saying. There is a lot of truth to that saying, though. A kind and well-placed compliment can and does go far when managing employees.
Employees who are constantly complimented tend to feel that their leaders care about them and view them as real people. They’ll automatically want to work harder and be much more productive. Expect to see projects being completed by the deadline, well within budget, and leaving clients happy.
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You Can’t Act Like The Doctors On Scrubs
Scrubs was a popular sitcom about doctors in a hospital. It aired from 2010 to 2013. It was full of light banter and portrayed doctors acting like kids. The issue is that it was a fantasy that only existed on the golden screen. The real truth is that doctors are expected to act professionally. The same applies to managers. You’ll find that your employees will respect you and be more productive if you act professionally in front of them.
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People Must Be Able To Trust You
Since you’re leading them, it makes sense that they must also be able to trust you. You’ll see productivity skyrocket and absences drop dramatically if you’re the kind of manager your employees can easily trust and confide secrets in.
You’ll Succeed If You Implement These
The five principles mentioned in some detail above are proven to make you a better leader. Many managers have successfully integrated these principles into their overall leadership styles. They found that employee morale and productivity skyrocketed. It works because leadership is an art and a science. While it’s true that some people are naturally better at leadership, others can teach themselves the skills needed to be a good leader.
