What does it mean to be a “proactive leader”? Aren’t most leaders naturally proactive anyway? You would think so but most leaders that are C-level or in higher management tend to stay in their ivory tower and become isolated from their employees. A lot of times it’s not something they try to do intentionally, but it just evolves over time due to the job demands. As a leader of your organization, it’s important that you stay connected with your team(s) and really understand what’s going on within the organization.
If you happen to find yourself becoming isolated, there are ways you can rebuild your credibility and rapport with your team:
Be A Good Listener
Strong communication skills are essential to effective leadership. Employees need to feel that their opinions are both heard and evaluated.
Inspire Others
Leaders who are enthusiastic, work hard, and communicate their vision to employees are much more likely to have a strong, dedicated staff than leaders who lacks these qualities.
They Know How to Utilize Team Strengths
Leaders should know the strengths and weaknesses of their team members, so they can quickly delegate tasks to the right person and help that person become successful in his or her role. Spend some time with each of your employees, have them take strength-based assessments, and look at projects that will play to their strengths.
Offer Constructive Feedback Frequently
Proactive leaders will find opportunities to give performance feedback to employees through one on one sessions and team coaching. There are also internal tools that you could use to communicate ongoing feedback to your employees and also create a two-way conversation.
Don’t Be A Boss, Be A Mentor
Most importantly, don’t just tell your employees what to do. If you are a good leader, you won’t have to be a boss. You can focus your attention on cultivating excellence from your team and making them better in their roles.
We have several leadership training opportunities for individuals as well as companies. Take a look at our different kinds of training and coaching services we offer.