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NewsDay

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What makes an effective leader?

Opinion & Analysis
It is important for every manager to develop inter-personal skills and understanding of some basic psychology regarding what makes people commit to, and perform to the highest level.

It is important for every manager to develop inter-personal skills and understanding of some basic psychology regarding what makes people commit to, and perform to the highest level.

Paul Nyausaru

This will assist the manager in placing subordinates in their ideal roles where they are able to excel and show their capabilities. This ultimately builds a high-performing team working towards the same goal.

A good manager should be able to recognise the importance of balancing between getting the job done and ensuring that team members are satisfied with the process of getting the work done.

Cultivate the enthusiasm to perform in your team member in such a way that they are able to produce the desired results without your direct involvement. In short, create an environment where team members are willing to give of their best.

Do you have the willingness to listen and ability to communicate with your team members or you appear to be remote to them? Take note that a good team leader must demonstrate the ability to listen and understand rather than controlling and talking.

Subordinates work productively in an environment where they know they are listened to when they have grievances or suggestions on how their work processes can be improved. So utilise the opportunity when it comes up and give them a listening ear.

A good team leader must possess the ability to commit himself/herself to the team,and not give up when the going gets rough, or success is slow to come. Remember your team is always looking up to you for moral support and guidance. So your motto should always be “Failure is not an option”. Cheer your team members when the chips are down and always give positive feedback and comments even from little achievements.

A good leader always endeavours to exhibit consistency in behaviour. Leaders must behave in a consistent manner regarding teamwork. When you encourage the team process, it is always not good to bypass the team as it will confuse the team members. When this happens, the team gets affected seriously.

Lastly, you should be able to deal with problem team members. Sometimes a team does not have the internal resources to deal with a member that is unco-operative in behaviour and becomes a barrier. A good manager must be able to coach when necessary, problem-solve, establish consensus and mediate. Doing so will result in the team forming a formidable force.

Paul Nyausaru is a Human Resources Practitioner. You can contact him on email [email protected] or [email protected]. Views contained in this article are personal.