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As a business owner, your employees regard you as their leader. It’s natural for them expect certain qualities from you. If you’re able to show them that you possess those traits, it will be easy for you to earn their respect and make them follow you. And in business, that is critical to your success.
To lead your company in the direction you want it to go, you have to be the leader that your employees look up to. Take note of these five key qualities that employees look for in a leader.
Honesty and Integrity
It is very important that you exhibit honesty as a leader if you want to build trust and gain your employees’ respect. When you are honest, your employees will believe in what you say and do. They will also have the confidence knowing that you are true when it comes to dealing not only with the team, but also with your clients, partners, investors, the media, and others.
This is true for Jon Huntsman, Sr., the founder and executive chairman of Huntsman Corporation and author of the book, “Winner’s never Cheat.” He believes that honesty and integrity are the most important qualities of a great leader and he attributes his success to these qualities.
Communication
Communication is a key to having good relationships – and that includes your relationship with your employees. For them, it’s good to have a leader who’s honest and open. But it’s great if their leader goes out of his or her way to communicate with his or her staff and makes sure that everything is running smoothly.
According to an Interact/Harris poll, 91% of 1,000 U.S. employees surveyed believe that communication issues can pull executives down. So if you think you fail to connect with your employees, it’s probably best to change your attitude and strategy. Keep your employees on the loop and always be ready to talk to them about any business and or personal matters.
Fairness
Employees look up to a leader who demonstrates fairness instead of somebody who uses ruthless measures to win, especially when it comes to dealing with other entrepreneurs. Playing favorites, being biased, or creating an unfair situation in the office causes discord, so be fair with your employees.
With fair leadership, you can inspire positive changes in your company. In fact, a research conducted by authors Elaine Bacha and Sarah Walker found that there is a strong association between fairness and transformational leadership. So, look at all the facts, listen to everyone’s ideas, and give all your employees a chance to do or contribute something for the company.
Hardworking
If you want to be a great leader in the eyes of your employees, you have to show them that you work hard and have a strong vision for your company. They do not want to see a leader who just sits around all day and lets his or her staff do all the work. By showing them how hardworking and committed you are to your job, you motivate them to do the same.
In one PsychTests.com study, results showed that 80% of excellent leaders who participated understand that in order to encourage their employees to work hard, they have to show them first that they are hardworking.
Positive and Inspiring
Work can be stressful at times. But with a leader who has a positive attitude, things will be light and fun in the office. And employees love to be in that kind of work environment. Conflicts and work issues can be prevented or easily resolved when there’s an air of positivity in the workplace, more so when it’s coming from the leader.
Employees also find leaders with a positive attitude as someone inspiring. Keep your employees’ spirits up and inspire them do their work well by showing appreciation and giving them recognition.
Being a leader is a tough job. But if you exhibit these qualities, you’ll have the full support, trust, and respect of your employees. Running and growing your company will then be easier and success will be faster to achieve!
Find out how our virtual assistants can be part of your team. Take our free five-hour trial now!
Check out these other blogs from our people management series:
- How to Motivate Your Team to Work Harder
- Top 5 Incentives That Employees Really Want
- Infographic: How to Motivate Your Team to Work Harder / Top Incentives Employees Want
- 5 Ways to Handle Workplace Conflicts
- How to Prevent Workplace Conflicts
- Infographic: Preventing and Handling Workplace Conflicts
- Team Building Activities YourTeam Will Love
- Office Boredom Busters to Keep Your Team on Their Toes
- Infographic: Fun Team Building Activities / Office Boredom Busters
- How to Communicate Effectively With Your Team
- 5 Ways to Encourage Collaboration Within Your Team
- Infographic: Ways to Communicate Effectively With Your Team and Encourage Team Collaboration
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