Effective leadership is the ability to guide, support, and influence a team or group of individuals successfully. Very different to management, effective leadership requires skill, time and effort. You need to be able to negotiate, adapt, and remain calm in a variety of high-pressure situations. Creating a strategy to help you perform well in a leadership role can prevent you from failing in your role. We spoke to a number of leaders who excel in driving their teams, and businesses, forward to find out their key strategies to succeed.

Learn how and when to delegate

As the leader of your company or department, its tempting to want to get your hands and eyes on everything going on within it. However, it’s impossible to be everywhere at once, and attempting to do so will inevitably lower the quality of your work. To avoid getting burnt out on trying to do everything, leaders need to know how to effectively delegate. Each member of your team brings a unique skill set to the table, and giving your employees the opportunity to work on a new project and grow their skills increases employee satisfaction. Delegation not only gives you time back to work on more complex tasks, but allows your employees to grow their skills in their profession.

  • Brandon Brown, CEO at Grin

Encouraging Recognition

“Employees are motivated by feeling appreciated and valued, promoting commitment and engagement. Recognition and celebration are essential in driving individuals and teams to exceed expectations. It creates a culture of excellence that remains intact even during high production and stressful situations. Managers must understand that rewarding positive behaviour encourages repetition, and by establishing a culture of gratitude and appreciation, teams will recognise each other’s efforts. This results in a more engaged and productive group. Recognition and celebration are essential in maintaining a positive work environment, and acknowledging employee contributions create a sense of belonging and loyalty, ultimately leading to better outcomes for the organization.”

– Curtis Anderson, Co-founder and CEO, Nursa

Connect with team members

“Building solid relationships with the team members on your team is one of the essential elements of effective leadership. A more positive and cooperative work environment can be produced by forging relationships that extend beyond the boundary of work. You can better support and encourage professional development for your team members by taking the time to understand their personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. Fostering open and honest communication, paying attention to their feedback and concerns, and allowing them to express their thoughts and suggestions are all crucial. Building trust and loyalty with your team members in this way can boost output, motivation, and overall job satisfaction.”

– Clayton Howard, Director of Analytics at Net Pay Advance

Keep a positive attitude

“Effective leadership requires many skills, but one of the most important is maintaining a mindset that inspires and motivates others. Leaders who exude positivity and optimism create a work environment conducive to growth and success. Leaders can encourage their teams to approach challenges by focusing on solutions rather than problems with a can-do attitude. This leadership style fosters a culture of innovation and creativity, where team members feel empowered to take risks and think outside the box. When leaders maintain a positive attitude, they set the tone for the entire organisation, creating a ripple effect that can lead to increased productivity, improved morale, and, ultimately, greater success.”

-Saneem Ahearn, VP of Marketing at Colorescience

Set clear employee goals and expectations

“Giving a team a clear understanding of what is expected of them is one of a leader’s most significant duties. This entails laying out specific goals and objectives that support the organisation’s overall mission. Employees who feel motivated and engaged at work are more likely to have a clear sense of direction. This may result in higher output, greater job satisfaction, and more effective teamwork. Effective leaders make these expectations concise and consistent in their communication, and they give their team members the support and tools they need to succeed. To create a more successful and effective organisation, leaders can help their team members feel invested in their work by giving them a clear sense of purpose and direction.”

– Adrian Pereira, Founder and CEO of Ecopeaco.com

Be assertive, not aggressive

“Effective leadership requires a certain level of assertiveness in communication. Leaders who can express themselves confidently and clearly while still respecting the opinions and feelings of others are more likely to inspire and motivate their team members. Assertive leaders can set clear expectations and boundaries, creating a positive and productive work environment where everyone feels valued and heard. However, it is important to remember that there is a difference between being assertive and aggressive. Leaders who are too aggressive may come across as intimidating or disrespectful, which can lead to a breakdown in communication and trust. Leaders must find the right balance between assertiveness and aggression to ensure their team’s success.”

-Peter Reagan Financial Marketing Strategist at Birch Gold Group

Have Good Conflict Resolution

Effective leaders should have good conflict resolution skills as there are issues that can arise in any workplace. Leaders who can manage conflict help to put out any fires that may arise in the workplace and keep a positive and productive environment, all the while staying professional. Having a neutral stance in all conflicts is essential for leaders who are good at conflict resolution as they can provide feedback objectively and see the situation from all perspectives. A good leader remains unbiased and gives the opportunity for all parties to share their feelings in a safe, healthy space. From here, they are able to come up with a solution that benefits all parties involved, coming up with compromises or meeting everyone’s needs as necessary. By having good conflict resolution skills, leaders can create a positive work environment that revolves around strong and positive communication, overall building relationships between every team member.

– Joe Acosta, Digital Marketing at BBQ Galore

Be Adaptable

An essential part of being an effective leader is being able to adapt quickly to new challenges or circumstances. In an ever-changing industry, it’s important for a leader to have the flexibility to change their strategy and adjust to new situations when necessary. Such leaders know how to reprioritise tasks when the time calls for it and delegate work to the rest of their team. They also should be able to encourage their team to tackle new challenges and take risks, which can potentially give the company a competitive advantage in the industry. Overall, having adaptability as a skill is crucial in the current industry as an effective leader will be able to ensure their team can respond to changes quickly and lead in a way that will ensure their company thrives.

– Bill Lyons, CEO of Griffin Funding

Influence Your Team

For a leader to be effective, they must be able to convey their goals to others in a way that is persuasive. To accomplish this, leaders must communicate their ideas and directives in a simple and effective manner so that others can follow them and be motivated to do so. The success of this skill depends on leaders being able to express their demands succinctly and clearly. This is made possible through convincing, coherent communication. In the end, leaders who can effectively influence others will be better able to accomplish their goals and objectives, establish credibility and trust, and motivate people to work toward a common goal.

– Matt Gehring, Head of Marketing at Dutch.com

Have Fair and Detailed Performance Reviews

“A very effective leadership strategy that most business owners, managers, and CEO’s tend to forget, or not focus heavily on, is to have fair and detailed performance reviews for all employees in the company. Many leaders tend to be harsh or overly critical of their employees when giving performance reviews and this may especially be the case when dealing with employees who are not performing well. While every employee in the workplace should be ready and willing to accept constructive criticism from their bosses, being overtly imposing or negative towards their work will always lead to negative effects, such as feelings of anxiety, nervousness, fear of failure, and higher stress levels. All leaders should strive to give fair and encouraging feedback when giving these reviews and they should work with their employees to find ways, or even create a detailed plan, for them to improve on their work and performance!”

-Chris Hunter, Director of Customer Relations at Service Titan

Understand the Unique Strengths of Your Team

“An excellent leadership method that can help people reach their full potential and promote business success is to understand their individual capabilities. As leader in business, I’ve discovered that better delegation, teamwork, and problem-solving result from taking the time to comprehend each employee’s unique abilities, skills, and interests. I am able to give jobs and projects that are suitable for each employee by making use of their strengths, which not only produces better results but also promotes a sense of accomplishment and happiness. Additionally, by appreciating and valuing each employee’s distinct strengths, I am able to offer them chances for professional development that are in line with their goals. Ultimately, this approach to leadership can help to build a more engaged, motivated, and productive team that is better equipped to tackle challenges and achieve success.”

– Hilary Kozak, Vice President of Marketing at LivSmooth

Foster creativity

“Great leaders don’t just dictate what needs to be done, but encourage team members to contribute their perspectives. By fostering creativity among team members, leaders can inspire their team to develop fresh ideas that could lead to better solutions and outcomes. Creativity also promotes personal growth and helps to establish an open and communicative team environment. A leader who understands the importance of creativity and is willing to encourage it can create an exciting, challenging, and rewarding work culture. Individuals will be more willing to take risks and push boundaries if they feel free to express themselves without judgment or retribution, which will benefit the team.”

– Lev Berlin, Founder of Recipal

Create room for growth

“Exception leaders will lead their employees through a long and successful career. One way to do this is through continued learning. Encourage your employees to continue to learn about the industry they are working in. Beyond training, there should be room for your employees to learn. As a leader you want to make sure they are not getting burnt out or hitting a plateau. Think about what got you to where you are now and what advice you would give to your younger self on how to get there. Foster an environment that encourages employees to continue to learn and come to you with opportunities. Is there someone in the department that can help explain how your employee’s roll fits into the bigger picture, or maybe trainings upper management can give to lower level members on different skills they have acquired or processes they conduct. As a leader it is important you create room for growth to become an effective leader.”

– Peter Reagan, Financial Marketing Strategist for Birch Gold Group

Think ahead and stay positive

“Today will soon be history which is why great leaders should never rest on their laurels. As customer and business expectations continuously change, so will those of your employees. It is important to recognise what made you a great employer last year probably isn’t going to be enough next year. If you want to attract and retain talent in your team it is vital you adapt your way of working and continuously develop your own leadership skills. By keeping one eye firmly on the future we can anticipate what our team members are going to expect from us in the months and years ahead, we can invest time and resource into developing an effective team through learning, professional development, relationship management, and new communication methods that foster a supportive and inclusive environment. Remaining positive through times of change, uncertainty and growth is also vital as your actions and reactions influence the behaviour and responses of members of your team as they look to you for guidance. A leader can only really succeed when the whole team is working together towards achieving their goals.”

– Kimberley Jayne, Head of Education, Quality and Learning for The Institute of Supply Chain Management

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