Overview
This leadership article examines four key behavioural shifts that enable managers, directors and CEOs to transform their organisations: mindfulness of operations, clear communication, empathetic awareness of nonverbal cues, and deliberate talent investment. Practical and accessible, it is relevant to leadership development, organisational culture, and workplace performance improvement.
Introduction
Each person in an organisation is vital to its success, but it doesn’t always feel that way. That’s because some leaders don’t always recognise this fact, which can leave people feeling underrepresented. However, the best leaders recognise value in those around them and see how their own behaviours affect the organisation.
That said, whether you’re a community health educator or a task manager, there’s always room for improvement. You can be a great leader without fundamentally improving your organisation, but why stop at great leadership? CEOs, managers, directors, and supervisors all have the power to improve their respective organisations.
This typically requires some key mindset changes encompassing behaviour and perspective. Such changes can trickle down throughout an organisation, maximising efficiency and the team’s potential. Follow along as we highlight four leadership behaviours that can change organisations for the better.
Mindfulness
Many people have worked in a setting where their supposed leader rests on their laurels and doesn’t get involved. Not only does this set a bad precedent and example, but it also prevents them from understanding the business’s operations. If a leader doesn’t know the nuances of daily operations, they cannot lead the team into meaningful changes.
Leaders must get involved in the nuances of operations and know what’s going on at nearly every level. This can be difficult in larger operations, but in those businesses, there are likely other managers and department heads. In that case, you must regularly check in with managers and department heads to learn what’s going on at every level.
That way, you can absorb feedback and learn how each moving piece affects all aspects of operation. From there, you can take this feedback into account and plan to optimise operations at all levels. By exhibiting mindfulness, you can learn a lot about your company’s current condition and devise ways to improve it.
Efficient Communication
Nobody wants to work for a leader who expects their employees to read their mind. Not only does poor communication hinder progress, but it can also prevent meaningful changes within the business. If you don’t express your vision and expectations, your team will struggle to bring them to fruition.
Skilled, experienced leaders know how to express their expectations while leaving nothing to the imagination. The key is to be as concise and transparent as possible to ensure everyone understands your expectations. If this hasn’t worked before, it’s worth asking your team whether they understand you before moving on.
That way, you can ensure everyone is on the same page as they work on the company’s goals. Keep in mind that you may need to adjust your communication methods based on context, such as the audience or objective. Once you streamline communication, meeting your organisation’s goals should be much easier.
Empathetic Awareness
Everyone communicates differently, and some of the most important messages can’t be easily expressed through verbal communication. Picking up on nonverbal cues requires a great deal of emotional intelligence, which can transform any organisation. So many people have things they want to say, but don’t know how to express them.
Some people fear speaking up due to the possibility of retaliation or because they don’t have the right words. You can change the culture within your organisation if you learn to interpret nonverbal communication, such as body cues and intention. The best way to do this is to get to know as many people within the organisation as possible.
That way, you can familiarise yourself with their nonverbal cues and, more importantly, understand how you affect those around you. If you can empathise with your team, you can learn a lot about them and understand what motivates them. People will notice this change, and it should improve their performance and the company culture.
Talent Investment
Each organisation is home to many people with great potential for future success. Unfortunately, talent is often overlooked by leaders who aren’t present enough to recognise it. Leaders can significantly improve their organisations by recognising and investing in talent.
First, it helps to identify some talent indicators based on what you’re looking for in the team. For example, you may want to pay close attention to team members who constantly want to learn and develop new skills. By identifying these individuals, you can communicate with them and gradually give them more responsibilities.
It’s important to pay attention to groups and departments that typically go overlooked. In doing so, you can find talented individuals at all levels, and you never know who will make huge, company-wide improvements. Talent development is an invaluable part of transformational leadership, and it’s the best way to empower everyone in the organisation.
An Organisation’s Future Lies in Its Leaders’ Hands
Regardless of size, any organisation can far exceed its goals in a strong leader’s hands. However, those leaders are nothing without the people around them. Many of the best leadership behaviours, such as emotional intelligence, rely on leaders valuing and listening to their teams.
By listening to others and developing talent, you can create an environment based on creativity, passion, and efficiency. An organisation cannot change if people feel unheard and believe their contributions won’t be valued. Organisational changes start at the top and trickle down to the talented people who make it all possible.
