Do you know the difference between the leadership skills of a boss and those of a leader? Leaders are charismatic and inspire loyalty and trust, while bosses usually fall short in leadership qualities that motivate employees to give 100% to the organization. Successful companies have recognized that in order to retain good employees and ensure optimal productivity, management should exhibit good leadership and management skills. In other words, they should aim to act as leaders more and bosses less to ensure they establish a rapport of mutual trust.
Three Major Flaws That Point at Poor Leadership Skills
A leader will inspire, above all else, a deep sense of trust. And since a company is as only as good as its management, a boss needs to emulate good leadership qualities to keep his team focused and motivated. Watch out for the flaws that undermine your brand and productivity as a company:
1. Self-Interests Are More Important
Leaders are always focused towards the greater good of their team. When the leader has an agenda of their own—especially when executing that agenda comes at the cost of the employees—trust goes out the window and is replaced with a ‘survival mode’ work culture where everyone looks out for themselves instead of the team.
2. Fickle Behavior
Leaders are consistent on ethics, beliefs and strategic leadership plans. When the leader seems to accept bending of the rules, compromises, and is unable to keep their commitments as they’re made, they loses not only the trust of their employees, they lose the employees’ respect. What can be worse, the members of the team may emulate the leader’s actions, opening the company up to a range of liabilities, depending on the business.
3. Telling Is Not Selling
No matter how many leadership team development measures are in place or how well they’re designed, if the leader doesn’t roll up their sleeves and get to doing the work alongside the team, they lose trust much too soon. Why should they kill themselves doing something their supposed leader isn’t willing to do?To become a leading company, the management should obtain and use all their leadership skills and qualities to win, inspire and hold the employees’ trust.
