Article written by Phil Spensieri, TAB York Region.
We’ve all read articles about leadership transformation, the rise of millennials in the workforce, as well as ageing leaders and business owners—but, for the most part, it seemed like this was just a big business issue. I am here to tell you it is your challenge, too.
In speaking with business owners every day, I know that many of you are dealing with the same issues facing the multinationals: how to actually lead your changing teams remains relevant across the board. Here are a few suggestions to help you be a better leader, one capable of growing your leadership with your employees. I’ve outlined below a few tips on things to consider that will help you kick-off your own leadership transformation.
- Being a great leader is not about delegation, it is about sharing your power and putting your employees needs ahead of your own. By encouraging growth and high performance in your employees, you are positioning your team and your company for growth. There is a term called “servant leader” which describes this in more detail.
- Serving your team, by actually sharing the power with them to let them learn and grow, will result in a reduced workload and fewer responsibilities for you as the owner. As millennials are often hopping from one role to another after only a few years, this method can actually give you a major edge over your competition and help with retention.
- Surround yourself with capable and knowledgeable employees who have a specific set of skills. Just because some of them may be young, doesn’t mean they don’t have a lot to offer and can’t contribute in significant ways. Once you have a robust team, try taking a step back.
- Resolve issues with your staff, or ask them how they would resolve the issue. Put more onus on them to be accountable. Let your employees feel they don’t always need to rely on you. In the long run, this will lead to greater productivity whether or not you’re physically present in the office. Micromanagers don’t actually produce the best results, on average.
As leaders, I find it is important for us to ask questions of our teams, encouraging them to brainstorm and guiding them to the right answer. We can let them make mistakes, too. There may be a small cost involved in doing this, but it is part of letting them become future leaders and move into more senior roles down the road.
To talk to other business leaders, consider joining a TAB board near you!