The role of a leader is not all about telling subordinates what to do. The primary role of a leader is to create the right conditions under which people can take the appropriate actions to achieve the desired results. Desired results are the set goals the team must attain. The success of a leader is best measured by how well the team works to get those goals.
The leadership role is extensive and encompasses activities that include creating relationships, making decisions, taking the right actions to achieve the desired goal.
The Role of a Leader in an Organization
The following shows things that a leader must do each day without straying from the basics of leadership best practices:
1. To Create a Feasible Plan and Set Clear Expectations
It is the role of a leader to create a feasible plan that can direct and make people not to avoid deviating from the end goal. Just as important as the vision is setting expectations.
You must set clear expectations as a leader for yourself and your team. Clear expectations means everyone is fully aware of what you want from them. Understand that your unclear expectations are disappointments waiting to happen.
The plan must be attainable. The last thing you do not want is to have a plan your people cannot follow or achieve.
When you are creating a feasible plan, consider first all factors that can stop you from achieving the goal, like people capabilities, business environment, and available resources.
Your vision must convince people that meeting it will benefit everyone.
Related: What Are the Most Valuable Aspects of Leadership?
2. To Create a Culture of Believing
If people are going to do the things that you are asking them to do, connect with them first, and then create a culture of belief.
Find out why individuals want to be part of your team members. Invest in their careers to grow because it is the role of a leader to help others move up, including stepping into the leadership role.
It is beliefs that drive action and performance. So, if you do not have that belief for yourself or you cannot create a positive culture for people to trust each other, it will be hard for them to focus on the end goal.
The easiest way to achieve that goal is to have a culture of believing in a place that everyone can understand and own.
3. To Empower People
People empowerment means giving people the authority to make decisions, trusting them, giving them the autonomy, or equipping them with the knowledge and skills to do something extraordinary.
So, it is the responsibility of a leader to provide people with everything they need to succeed.
It is not about giving instructions to people then disappears. As a leader, you cannot have half an interest in your people. Your presence around the people is necessary. You got to be there if you are going to be a leader who cares about the people.
4. To Give People the Autonomy to Create
People need autonomy to work on some activities. It is the responsibility of a leader to support them without getting involved in their work.
As a leader, you need to step back and let them try. One reason people lose confidence is that they try to do something new but keep worrying that their leader is judging them.
But what that judgment does, it shuts them down. So, let people experiment with things without fear of any repercussion. And make sure you appreciate their effort for trying, not just wait for the outcome.
People need to be encouraged even when they are failing or when they are stuck with issues.
Also, a leader must give people access to the tools and resources they need to create things. You must empower them with the freedom of trying and fail.
5. To Listen Actively and Aggressively
The role of a Leader carries many pieces of baggage, pressures, and expectations. Sometimes it takes a lot for you to deal with so many things with competing priorities. However, being a leader does not mean that you must have all the ideas.
The people around you have loads of ideas, solutions, and they can share solutions if you let them. You have to say what your challenges are and then listen to them.
Do not listen for the sake of it. You need to hear and understand what the people you lead are saying. The people you lead might have better perspectives that can unlock not only the right solutions to problems but also brilliant opportunities.
Read more: 22 Skills and Qualities That Make You a Good Leader
6. To Remove Barriers and Start Influencing Others
Good leaders know when to stop asking questions and start listening. They also know when to stop making quick decisions and start consulting more with their team.
The role of leadership is to influence others. Leadership is an action that persuades others to do things they were not originally planning to do.
But it requires you to create a trusting relationship with your people. A good relationship removes any barrier between you and your people. It also benefits both ways where you and your people share information, challenges, ideas, and solutions.
So, once you connect with them, go to their territory, and start using their language in a very authentic way without pretending. It will help you to influence them.
7. To Pass on Knowledge to People
Some leaders never passed on their learnings. It is the responsibility of a leader to coach and mentors your people to develop their capabilities and effectiveness in the team.
A leader cannot be effective unless you surround yourself with high-performing individuals that complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Good leaders focus on making their people grow through strong coaching and continuous development.
Therefore, it is vital that you coach, mentor, and develop your people. You can do it while delegating responsibility, asking simple questions, or through formal training sessions. But remember that a good coach only focuses on people’s specific needs rather than generalized training.
8. To Seek Knowledge from Others
It is also essential to know that you can learn a lot from your people. Some people around you are more intelligent and have some of the knowledge you lack.
So, you can also learn from them because being a leader does not mean knowing everything.
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