How Managers Can Become Leaders
It is often said that managers are not necessarily leaders and leaders are not necessarily managers. While a manager is a job title, a leader is a state of being. Managers oversee workers to make sure they’re staying on task, following company rules and guidelines and generally adhering to what they’re supposed to be doing. Leaders, on the other hand, have people who look to them for guidance or generally look up to them, although, like managers, they also may have people who report to them.
Leading and managing are two separate roles that require different dispositions and skills. “Leadership is far more ambiguous and focused on strategic intent,” explained Brent Herman, director of talent solutions at Hanover. Managers, though, can become leaders by exhibiting key leadership traits.
What managers can do to become leaders
One of the greatest challenges in moving from manager to leader is to contribute strategically, advised Herman. “This requires the creation of a vision, purpose and direction for the future which in today’s fast-changing world is extremely difficult to do,” he said.
Managers can take the following actions to transform themselves into better leaders.
1. Stop micromanaging.
Managing people is good, but micromanaging people is bad. Managers should provide more autonomy to employees. They should trust their team members and leave room for creative thinking and active participation in the organization. This autonomy gives employees the freedom to think freely and bring better ideas to the table. Those ideas can increase your company’s productivity and efficiency, so managers should motivate employees to contribute more to organizational growth.
To support employees without micromanaging, Susan Duff, CEO at Stakeholderology, recommended holding regular brief meetings with team members to ask them the following three questions:
- What’s the most important thing to accomplish (today? This week?)
- Who is stuck and what kind of help do you need?
- Who can help?
“There are several benefits at once to this method: the team feels cohesive and supported by one another and, as a manager, you know what the obstacles are so you can intervene, if needed, or communicate that higher up when needed,” said Duff.
2. Communicate well.
Leaders are excellent communicators. They ensure that the right message reaches the right person in the right way. When The Harris Poll conducted the 2023 State of Business Communication survey on behalf of Grammarly, they found that leaders reported these top three benefits of effective communication: increased productivity (72 percent), customer satisfaction (63 percent) and employee confidence (60 percent). To become good leaders, managers need to develop the art of communication. They make time to speak and ensure their message has an impact on the listener.
Merely doing the talking will not help, though. To become good leaders, managers must also listen to others and consider everyone’s perspective when making major transformational business decisions.
3. Provide timely feedback.
A leader provides constructive feedback to subordinates so they perform better. Annual reviews are helpful and necessary, but employees need regular feedback for personal and organizational growth. Feedback helps employees understand what works and what doesn’t.
Managers should take the time to provide frequent formal and informal feedback so employees are not surprised when their performance is reviewed at the end of the year. Ongoing feedback closes loopholes in processes and improves the overall performance of employees and the company. Gallup data consistently shows that employees are significantly more likely to be engaged when they receive feedback from their manager a few times a week at minimum.
4. Celebrate diversity.
An organization should not be composed of people from only one particular race, gender or background; it should be a diverse group of people coming together to achieve a common goal or mission. According to a study by Boston Consulting Group, inclusive leaders reduce employee turnover risk by 50 percent.
BCG’s survey also discovered that employees prefer authenticity in the workplace and are 2.4 times less likely to leave a position at a company with inclusive practices.
5. Make self-reflection a routine.
Managers should take the time to reflect on their own actions and decisions. A leader is always conscious of their actions and has clarity of thought. Instead of dwelling on the past, they look ahead and think positively.
Managers should be aware of the mistakes they’ve committed so they don’t repeat those errors. Cultivating the habit of self-reflection enables managers to become better leaders.
Traits that make a good leader
Although effective leaders possess many positive traits, these attributes describe every good leader.
Adaptability
The most common trait of a good leader is adaptability. Leaders are resilient in difficult situations and see their teams through these challenges. If a curveball is thrown at them, the leader knows how to adjust to the situation.
Confidence
Confidence is another strong quality of a leader. Pretending to be confident won’t make a leader effective, however — you must have the capacity to make definitive decisions and remain assertive in tough situations.
The decisions you make as a leader won’t always be well received if they affect employees, but employees will still have a level of respect for decisions made and delivered with confidence. It creates a trickle-down effect: Workers will take on challenges and accept changes more confidently if their leader is confident in their ability to do so.
Inspirer
An inspiring personality is another trait of an effective leader. If you’re not inspiring anyone, who exactly are you leading? Leaders offer an encouraging word when someone needs it and provide constructive feedback.
“For someone whose current role is managing, whether that is a project, a process or a team, understanding how the work contributes to the business’s larger goals and communicating that to teams, is what inspires them,” said Duff. “A housekeeper at a hospital either mops the floors or works in the area of infection prevention to keep patients safe. The first is just a task, while the latter is contributing to a broader mission.”
Equanimity
The ability to handle your emotions well is another characteristic of a good leader. Leaders are not known for their quick tempers. Instead, they’re valued for remaining calm and composed in high-pressure situations, retaining the capacity to communicate proactively with others.
Self-awareness
Self-awareness is the bedrock for any leader. “If you are not clear on how you show up and your impact, you stand the risk of your intention not translating accurately and this could create a very toxic environment for your team and the broader business,” said Herman.
Honesty
Honesty is one of the most prized traits of a strong leader. Colleagues and managers value a leader who regularly demonstrates integrity. Being honest is how managers and leaders build trust with their employees, customers and clients. If someone can’t trust you, they probably won’t want to work with you. Honesty is crucial for ensuring that everyone can do their job effectively.
Casey Conway contributed to this article.
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