As an entrepreneur, it’s important to realize that your employees are more than just numbers on the balance sheet—they’re people with skills, dreams, and goals of their own that can help you meet yours. Engaging leadership helps you not only grow your business but also grow your team into productive individuals who want to work hard to build something bigger than themselves.
Engaging leadership isn’t about who the boss is but how the leader behaves and acts toward his or her employees. An engaging leader is one who inspires, motivates, and leads his or her team to success. This blog will shed light on 10 habits of engaging leaders. Check out this engaging leadership guide and find out how to become an engaging leader now!
What Is Engaging Leadership?
The concept of engaging leadership is rooted in the notion that every individual within a team should be engaged and feel as though they have a stake in the future success of the organization. An engaging leader will focus on listening to their teams and understanding what motivates them rather than focusing on delivering a pre-determined set of instructions or expectations. They’ll find out what employees want to do with their careers, even if it differs from their own vision for the company, and they’ll offer feedback, coaching and mentorship to help them achieve those goals. In return, they’ll get more committed employees who are willing to go above and beyond because they know that their leaders care about them and their contributions.
Engaging Leadership: 10 Habits of an Engaging Leader
The following ten habits of an engaging leader can help you to create an office environment that fosters communication and trust between you and your team, ultimately making everyone happier and more productive on the job.
1. Acknowledge people’s presence
Leadership is about acknowledging people’s presence. It is about accepting their presence in the workplace, in the company, and also in their lives. Engaging leaders are aware of what employees are going through and what they are struggling with. They are always there for their subordinates when they need them the most. They are also available to their followers and give them time, attention, and care. Finally, engaging leadership is not just an act of power but an act of love.
2. Listen to all points of view
Listening to all points of view and not making assumptions about those who disagree is a key habit of engaging leadership. This includes taking the time to listen, understanding different perspectives, and respecting their opinions. It also means being open-minded and willing to change your own opinion. These habits make it possible to lead with empathy, compassion, and respect for others- building relationships along the way.
3. Share your goals and visions with others
One of the most engaging leadership behaviors is to share your goals and visions with others. One habit must practice as an engaging leader is to spend more time listening than talking. This will help you understand what people need and want, which in turn can make it easier for you to figure out what needs to be done in order to help them. For example, if you know that a co-worker has been struggling with their workload, you may take on some tasks from their job so they have less work. This type of behavior will help you not only stay connected but also get the word out about what your goals are and how everyone can work together for success.
4. Take care of yourself so you can take care of the team
People need to work hard. But we also need to take care of ourselves so that we can take care of the team. That’s what engaged leadership is all about- knowing when to take care of yourself and when to take care of your team.
Leaders need to look after themselves, so they look after the team and provide support when needed most. This means that leaders need to practice self-care by practicing mindfulness, being mindful of their own moods, taking time off when necessary, making sure that they get enough sleep, eating healthy food, exercising regularly, spending time with loved ones and friends, doing something creative such as painting or writing poetry etc.
5. Trust your team first
The first step to becoming a more engaging leader is trusting your team. This can be difficult for some people because they want to micromanage, e.g. do everything themselves. However, if you are not delegating tasks, you will never have the time to develop other skills like communication or conflict resolution.
The second thing that engaging leadership requires is honesty and trustworthiness. If you don’t trust your employees, they won’t trust you and will eventually leave the company. Trust is so important because without it, leaders can’t engage their team and create a great work environment. The third habit of an engaging leader is resilience in the face of failure. No one succeeds all the time and when things don’t go as planned, it’s tempting to give up or make excuses for why things didn’t work out.
6. Let go off things you can’t control
You can’t control the outside world, but you can change how you react to it. Let go off things you can’t control to enjoy life and take a more engaging leadership role. To do so, a leader should always speak in a positive manner, lead by example, encourage others and smile often.
7. Praise in public, criticize in private
Engaging leadership is about setting the stage for success. It’s not a matter of telling people what to do, but rather, asking them what they need from you. Building trust and respect takes time and it starts with showing up as a leader who is engaged in his or her work. That’s why engaging leaders praise their followers in public and criticize them in private.
8. Ask questions instead of giving orders
Effective leaders know that asking questions rather than giving orders is the key to engaging leadership. If you start by asking questions, your team will feel more invested in the process, and they’ll be more likely to put forth effort in finding creative solutions. You can also get feedback from your team as you’re addressing a problem so that you’re not doing everything on your own.
9. Empower your Subordinates
Show your people that you believe in them by empowering them. Showing your people that you believe in them will allow them to be more confident and take ownership over their responsibilities. This is an important part of engaging leadership because it will show the subordinates that they have a voice and they can speak up if they disagree with something. It also shows them that there are opportunities for growth and development if they apply themselves.
When you show your people respect, you allow them to trust in their leaders and grow into better versions of themselves. By encouraging your team members to take risks, engage with each other, and ask questions, you empower them to make decisions on the spot without having to wait for guidance from the top down.
10. Have a sense of humor!
A sense of humor is an important leadership trait. Here are six reasons why:
- It can make difficult situations easier to manage.
- It can make people feel more comfortable in your presence.
- It can help you get your point across more effectively.
- It can help you connect with people on a personal level, which will make them more likely to follow your lead and do what you ask of them in the future.
- It might even be the key to success, as it has been found that CEOs who have a good sense of humor are more likely to be successful than those who don’t have one at all or those who have a poor sense of humor (especially when it comes to shareholder value).
- And lastly, it’s just fun!
Comments