Everyone takes on the challenges of leadership in their own unique way. For this reason, measuring someone’s leadership skills can be difficult if you don’t have clearly defined measurements or any other examples of leadership to compare that person with.
Fortunately, leadership assessment tools are available to help you better understand your team and determine their strengths and weaknesses. First, to correctly assess your employees, you need to better understand the qualities of a good leader and why you should seek those qualities in your business.
Why Does Good Leadership Matter?
Excellent leadership is invaluable if you want to strengthen your company and grow to the next level. Here are a few reasons why leadership is important:
Leaders Attract Followers
People need guidance and want someone inspiring to look up to. No matter your industry, your employees will experience problems, challenges, and change. A good leader shouldn’t be aimless; otherwise, followers will look to someone else for direction. High-quality managers encourage company loyalty, thus helping to grow your business.
Investing In Brilliant Leaders Is a High ROI Activity
Leaders must take responsibility for the things that matter most in a business – people, strategy, delegation, communication, and follow-up. The qualities of a dedicated team lead will cause a ripple effect in your organization, leading to better finances, marketing, sales, and operations.
Create a Passionate Company Culture
Great leaders know that relationships matter. Being in a position of power requires you to connect your head to your heart, building a genuine love for the company, its success, and your employees’ success too. A passionate lead is authentic, caring, and eager regarding company values and helps instill the same in their team.
Qualities of a Good Leader
Identifying the attributes you would like to see in your employees is crucial for your company’s vision. When you know what you want, you can clearly communicate your expectations to your team, setting them up for success. Here are a few great qualities of a good leader:
- Authentic
- Creative
- Dependable
- Patient
- Always striving to do better
- Visionary
- Inspiring
- Strategic
- Flexible
- Passionate
- Values-driven
Qualities of Poor Leadership
Now that you know the qualities of a good leader, it’s essential to identify the effects of bad leadership before you use a leadership assessment tool.
Bad leadership can:
- Emotionally drain your employees
- Increase turnover
- Hurt productivity and revenue
- Encourage poor behavior in general
By understanding the qualities you don’t want in your team leads, you can avoid investing your time and energy into the wrong people.
Avoidance
Someone who avoids conflict for the sake of comfortability may struggle in a leadership position. Being proactive is essential for someone with authority. Many problems and disagreements worsen with time, so they must be faced head-on. Encouraging an employee with this issue to get out of their comfort zone can alleviate this obstacle if they are willing to try.
Pride
While every leader should have confidence and expertise, pride can interfere with company culture and success. Employees who cannot admit their mistakes and take the suggestions of others may not be well-liked leaders. Issues with arrogance can breed resentment within a team, ultimately inducing failure.
Poor Communication
Leaders who don’t correctly communicate expectations, changes, or even feelings are not likely to find success. Poor communication equates to poor execution of strategies and goals. Employees who struggle with communication should improve verbal and written skills before being placed in positions of authority.
Selfishness
Someone who cares only for their own success and problems may be a selfish leader. Selfishness could look like unfair distribution of tasks, being inconsiderate of others’ feelings, blaming others for problems, and taking credit for successes. Greedy managers and leads hurt team morale and will find it difficult to get others to follow them.
Measuring Your Employee’s Leadership Skills
Now that you know what you want and need in your workplace, you are better equipped to monitor the leadership skills of your team members.
Measure your employee’s skills by:
- Keeping track of each individual’s productivity
- Having quarterly performance reviews
- Ask for feedback from team leads
- Workplace simulations
- Education and certifications
- Invest in leadership assessment tools
What Can Leadership Assessment Tools Do For You?
Leadership assessment tools are a precious investment you can use to ensure your company is on track for success. They can help you:
Keep Track Of Your And Your Team’s Strengths And Weaknesses
Identifying strengths and weaknesses allows you the opportunity to celebrate successes and zero in on issues. Acknowledgment is the first step in initiating meaningful change, and once you can see the flaws in your and your team’s strategies, you can start making a conscious effort to do better.
Make Decisions In Regards To Training And Coaching Methods
With a better understanding of your business, it’s easier to know what training and coaching your company will benefit from. Now that you’ve assessed your employees, there are many leadership programs that you can use to build your success.
Adapt Your Leadership Style To Align With Your Industry And Company Values
Every business has different needs, goals, and cultures. Leadership is not one-size-fits-all. Leadership programs in Melbourne enable you to adapt your style to fit your organization’s identity personally.
Become Aware Of The Individual Needs Of Each Team Member
Every employee brings a unique set of skills to the table. Identifying the various kinds of leaders you have in your business will help you better understand how to cater to their needs. By tuning into the diversity of your employees, you can help them flourish in the positions they are best suited to fill.
Become Better Equipped To Manage Your Growth
As a fast-growing business, things can start to feel overwhelming quickly. Assessing your team’s wide range of leadership skills allows for better delegation of tasks and understanding of needs. Knowing your team’s dynamic ensures you can manage the change that comes with growth.
Better Leadership Skills Is The Key To Success!
Taking the time to measure your employee’s leadership skills is a well-worth investment that helps increase your business’s revenue and makes your company a wonderful place to be. Investing in your employees’ success is an investment in your own success.
TAKE THE FIRST STEP TO DEVELOP QUALITY LEADERS IN YOUR BUSINESS – THE VELOCITY LEADERSHIP CHECKPOINT
Do you know the impact you have on your leader and / or team? Completing a leadership assessment tool to assess your leadership strengths and weaknesses is the first step that every new and established leader should take to continue their leadership development journey.
If you are unsure of your impact on your leader / team, you should complete the Velocity Leadership CheckPoint? 25 behavioural leadership traits, focussed in 5 distinct leadership capabilities – a ‘must know’ for any leader or team looking to drive high performance. If you haven’t completed the CheckPoint, get in touch with us today to arrange an appointment. Read through the comments and feedback from those that have – many say that it has had a profound effect on how they lead and perform within a team.