What makes a good corporate leader?
INSIGHTS: from the Naked Headhunter
I’m pretty sure this is a question we’ve all asked ourselves many times. And I’d also guess that the answer depends on your personal perspective and position within the company. My answer stems from my personal experience and the executive roles I’ve held and what I’ve learned from clients over the past several years. So, the short answer is as follows: a good corporate leader is a) a listener; b) a motivator; c) a decision-maker and d) a defender (perhaps more commonly called a “team player”.
My experience is that all the above traits are critical to developing and shaping a work environment in which people want to work hard to achieve strong results for your business or organization. Recently, I’ve seen many articles on the importance of leadership skills in helping develop a company culture. In the commentary linked below, you can find different takes on whether or not a strong, positive corporate culture is important or not. However, I think efforts to build a positive, motivating work environment do pay off over time. All of us want to work in a business setting where we are heard, where we see that our ideas have value, and where we know that innovation and reasonable risk are respected and rewarded. My recommendations for boosting the respect you get as a leader are as follows:
1. solicit employee feedback/input and respond to it
2. highlight employee ideas through regular efforts to showcase best practice
3. take bold decisions and be ready to defend them
4. take care of and look after all employees who create value for your business
None of this is rocket science, but cultivating trust and respect among your employees makes you a good leader and boosts chances your business will continue to grow.
Related links:
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/292095