Professional competencies, delegation, operating focus?
NO, NO, NO.
Most Slovenian managers and leaders still think that they must do most of the work entrusted to their teams by themselves, and that they will earn the respect of their teams by putting in the longest hours. And then they complain about how incompetent their employees are because they always need to finish the work for them.
Unfortunately, the employees also think, more often than not, that they will respect their leaders only if they are the best experts in their field. The role of the leader, however, is to gather a group of people who are experts in their respective fields of work, and lead them, work with them, and bring out the best in them.
What do you think managers and employees need? The answer is: the three most important techniques of leadership and working with people. And these are:
TRUST, TRUST, TRUST
The path to achieving that is neither easy nor short. The first step is to be aware that leadership is all about working with people. After that comes the realization that each of us is, different and there is nothing wrong with that. Then it is important that we understand and accept diversity. That we listen to others and accept their ideas, opinions and, of course, their mistakes. Giving feedback to the employees and accepting their feedback. Creating a positive, encouraging working environment …
These are the pillars of TRUST. TRUST of leaders as well as employees.
When the leader and the employees reach that point, then the leader can delegate without worries (because he trusts his people and is trusted in return), assign project roles (because he trusts his people and is trusted in return), go home earlier (because he trusts his people and is trusted in return), and focus on working with employees instead of the operational tasks (because he trusts his people and is trusted in return).
This is the way to establish the culture of an organization based on trust. Such culture encourages employees’ commitment, creativity and efficiency, and happy employees who, in turn, create the culture of a successful company.