Employees who are happy are more likely to have higher levels of engagement and productivity, better end work products, and lower turnover rates. They are also likely to feel more fulfilled by their work, as well as seen and valued by their organization.
For all of these reasons – and more – positive leadership can have an incredible impact. And you do not have to have a bottomless budget or unlimited time to focus on your team’s wellbeing and workplace morale. In this article, we will take a look at several easy ways that you can be a positive leader, which can make a huge difference in your employees’ experience.
Work on your emotional intelligence
Different from regular intelligence, emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and influence the emotions of the people around you. As I am sure you know, it is pretty common for people to say one thing, but actually feel something totally different. The best managers are aware of all of the things that are left unspoken. They are able to empathize with their team and provide the kind of support and motivation that works best for each individual – after all, positive leadership will mean something a little bit different for everyone.
Understand your team’s wants and needs
Communication is key. You might think that people will be excited about casual Fridays, but what they actually want is more flexible work hours. Take the time to sit down and get to know each of the individuals on your team. What type of work are they interested in? How do they want to grow their career? What additional skills do they bring to the table? When you have a better understanding of who you are working with, you can create better opportunities that allow them to leverage their talent and interests. This is an excellent way for individuals to feel valued and challenged at work.
Set an example with your own actions
One of the best ways to boost your team’s morale is to show them that you are willing to put in just as much effort as you are asking of them. This is a great example of positive leadership because it demonstrates that you are all in it together and have one another’s back. This means keeping the same type of hours as your employees, having a positive attitude, actively listening to ideas that might be different than yours, and recognizing their hard work and achievements.
Do not expect any big changes to happen overnight – remember, good things take time. However, if you put in the effort toward more positive leadership, you will see results in the form of increased workplace morale, higher productivity, and lower turnover rates.