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Leadership is a complex concept that has been studied for centuries. It's not something that can be learned overnight, but rather it's a journey that requires constant self-reflection, development, and personal improvement. At its core, leadership is about people working together. Good leadership is about understanding your key strengths and identifying and developing the potential of your people. A diverse team brings different perspectives and ideas to the table, which ultimately leads to better outcomes. As a leader, it's important to recognize the unique strengths of each team member and assign tasks accordingly. Rather than hiring people who look like us, because it feels safe, when what you need is people with complementary strengths. Understanding the skills of your team is critical in ensuring that you are utilizing their full potential. This includes identifying areas where they excel as well as areas where they may need additional training or support. By doing this, you can create a culture of continuous learning and development which will ultimately benefit both the individual employee and the organization. How can you do this? Be sure to check out our blog post on Proscan It does the heavy lifting, assisting you to better understand the core behaviors and needs of the team members to drive productivity and build success.
In addition to understanding the strengths of your team, good leadership also involves managing an appropriate level of tension. Tension is often looked at negatively, but healthy tension means creating an environment that includes clearly defined expectations, where healthy conflict occurs to increase productivity. It's often said that people don't leave jobs; they leave managers. The cost of turnover goes beyond just layoffs; it includes when people leave voluntarily. When employees leave due to poor leadership/management, it can be detrimental to an organization in many ways. So why do employees leave? There are many reasons including feeling undervalued or unappreciated, lack of growth opportunities or feeling unchallenged in their role. It's incumbent for leaders to cultivate strong relationships, create a shared vision, and motivate the team based on their unique needs. The cost of losing an executive-level employee can range from three to five times their annual salary, primarily due to the lost opportunity costs. along with other expenses such as recruitment, training, and decreased productivity costs. Our blog post on The Real Cost of Layoffs: The Cost of Losing an Employee is a great resource for just this. In conclusion, good leadership is about understanding the strengths of your people while also being self-aware to recognize your own limitations. Leaders see the potential of their team members and the work to develop their full potential for their benefit and the benefit of the organization.