Are you a boss or are you a leader? What's the difference? A boss tends to focus more on giving assignments and deadlines, and may not be as interested in being part of the team, as opposed to controlling it or overseeing it. A leader, on the other hand, leads the team, but is part of it, and is sensitive to its needs and recognizes that everyone is working toward common goals. Following are some tips for being more of a leader than a boss.
1. Be Clear When Communicating
Be clear and concise when communicating with your team. Get to the point to ensure that your message is easily understood. Encourage feedback and be an active listener. Tailor your communication style to the staff. Your team in higher level positions may require a different communication style than lower-level employees. Ask your team questions regularly so you are able to gain as much insight as possible, and then maintain an open dialogue around those who require follow up.
2. Be Empathetic
Being able to practice empathy is perhaps the most distinguishing feature of a leader. Being empathetic shows that you care about the people you are leading and aren't just there to boss them around.
"Empathetic leadership means having the ability to understand the needs of others, and being aware of their feelings and thoughts," says Bill Gentry, PhD at the Center for Creative Leadership.* "Unfortunately, it has long been a soft skill that’s overlooked as a performance indicator. Our research, however, has shown that today’s successful leaders must be more ‘person-focused’ and able to work well with people from varying teams, departments, countries, cultures, and backgrounds."
3. Consider How You Perceive Yourself
Another key to being a great leader is self-perception. Do you perceive yourself as simply the person in charge, or do you view yourself more as part of a group working toward common goals.
"Leaders perceive themselves as an equal member of the team," says Indeed.** "They perceive their job as a matter of empowering others and setting an example. Because employees might follow their behavior, leaders respect the organization's standards at all times. Leaders have a sense of humility. When they encounter challenges, they look inward and start by understanding how they could improve."
4. It's OK to Take the Blame
When outcomes don't turn out the way you hoped or certain goals weren't met, don't be quick to point fingers. Someone who perceives themselves as more of a boss might single out a person or group of employees or look for a scapegoat, but a leader isn't afraid to take the blame themselves. The fact is that it happened under your leadership, so in reality, the failure is yours to some extent either way.
Taking the blame for disappointments shows leadership as it demonstrates accountability by example. You're setting the standard, and employees will see this and take responsibility for their own actions. The whole team can also learn from the mistakes and have a sense that the team is united rather than anyone being singled out.
5. Give Credit
On the flipside, don't take all the credit when things work out well. Give it to the team. This can boost morale and build trust and loyalty among your employees. It helps to foster a positive work environment and culture and will likely enhance motivation and productivity.
Giving credit can also help build confidence among your team, which can lead to staff stepping up and displaying leadership traits of their own. This is great when it comes time to give promotions and appoint people to new roles, particularly if they'll be leading other groups within the company.
6. Show Trust in Your Team
When a team member believes that you trust them, they can feel more empowered to take ownership of their work and feel comfortable making decisions for themselves without having to check with you over every little thing.
Communication is also likely to improve if there is mutual trust. They will feel comfortable talking to you about important issues whether they're positive or negative. This can help you solve problems more quickly. Trust can also promote loyalty, employee engagement and accountability, in addition to preventing you from having to micromanage.
A boss can make sure that things get done, but there are many more benefits to taking a leadership approach when it comes to having a healthy business with a loyal and productive team. Consider the above points if you want to position yourself as more of a leader rather than a boss.
** https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/be-a-leader-not-a-boss
