Have you ever heard someone say, "Actually, I have to admit that I

think I am really bad at managing other people. My staff all hate me

and I'm incapable of doing my job".

The answer is no, of course.

No one says this either because they don't believe it, or because they

don't want to appear incompetent. Unfortunately research tells us that

from the employees' perspective, there aren't that many terrific

managers out there.

What should we take out of this dichotomy?

Perhaps at the least, we could all admit to ourselves that there is

room for some improvement in the way we lead others. After all, it's

not the sort of skill that is easy to get 100% right all of the time.

It might just be that we don't specifically know what improvements to

make, so here's 10 ways to start:

1. Get a reality check

Finding out what others think of our leadership style can be real eye-opener,

and is often the most powerful driver for change. Using a 360 survey

where you receive feedback from your staff, peers and manager, gives

you some concrete information on a sometimes intangible subject. Use an

existing tool (and there are some highly regarded ones out there) or

else simply let your staff know that you are seeking feedback from them

in order to improve your style.

A word of caution though, your

staff may not feel safe in giving feedback if they believe you are

going to use it against them, or become defensive about what they say.

It's up to you to create a safe environment so they feel comfortable in

being open and honest with you.

2. Don't use the power of your position to get things done

If

people are questioning why certain things are done, or the logic of

decisions, never pull rank in response. A critical component of

effective leadership is getting the buy-in from your team and

colleagues. You don't get buy-in by telling them that the decision is

the right one because you are the boss and you made it. Your team may

not always agree with what is being done, but they are more likely to

respect you if you take the time to explain your rationale.

3. Don't think of employees as things that need to be controlled or managed

Instead, give them the latitude to take actions and make decisions. Trust is a

vital component of leadership. If you can't trust people to do their

jobs well, then you either have the wrong people in the jobs, or you

have the right people but you haven't trained them sufficiently. Let

them do what they are there to do, without leaning over their shoulders

all the time, or demanind to know how they spend each minute of their

time.

4. Listen, listen, listen

If there are unhappy or

disgruntled people in your business, you can guarantee that at some

stage they've tried to tell you what the problem is. It's likely you

weren't listening (or didn't want to listen), or perhaps your initial

reaction made the person think twice about bringing the problem to you.

Truly listening is one of the greatest skills to develop, regardless of

your role. Good listeners are genuinely interested, convey empathy, and

want to find out what's behind the conversation. Great leaders are

great listeners ?without exception.

5. Stop providing solutions

Managers often achieve their positions after being technical specialists, and so

will have an opinion or view on how to "fix" situations or problems.

They believe that it's faster to tell someone what to do, or do it

themselves, than give their employees an opportunity to figure it out.

By always providing the answers, managers take away opportunity for

their employees to learn and come up with alternative (and potentially

better) ways of doing things.

6. Always be constructive ? always

Language and communication skills set great leaders apart from mediocre ones.

Don't patronise or be critical of others - take complete responsibility

for how you are heard. If you catch yourself about to make negative

remarks, take a breath and rephrase your words to get your message

across without the emotional attachment. Great leaders always find a

way to say things calmly and constructively.

7. Judge your success by the success of your team

The
true success of a leader can be measured by the success of the people

that work for them. As a manager of others, your prime responsibility

is to ensure the success and development of your team. If they are

successful, you will automatically be successful. Focus on building

their skills and removing obstacles in their way. If you can achieve

this, you will see the results in the productivity, motivation and

satisfaction of your employees. This in turn filters through to

bottom-line results.

8. Don't do things just because they will "look good".

Nothing
is more transparent than managers who make decisions and behave in ways

simply to look good to their superiors. If you want to improve as a

leader, one of the qualities you need is integrity. The integrity to

make decisions because they are right, and the integrity to stand up

when you truly believe something is not in the best interests of the

business. Whether or not it is in your personal best interests is much

less of a consideration.

9. Include humour in your diet

Nobody likes to work in an environment that is devoid of any fun. People are

more productive when they are enjoying themselves. Creating a workplace

where fun is permitted and encouraged can make a significant

difference, and it's even more effective when the boss participates. It

increases team spirit, and encourages people to see you as a person,

not simply as the boss.

10. Let people get to know the real you

Being open about yourself helps to break down the barriers that hierarchy

puts in place. When your employees know the person behind the façade,

that's when you start to build the foundations of good leadership -

trust and respect.