1. Build trust
Trust is the foundation of great leadership. Building trust means that through your actions, you make team members feel comfortable relying on you, feel confident in your abilities and your intentions and feel motivated by working with you. One of the best ways to build trust is by giving it to your employees before it’s earned. This can help you connect with your team members because they will appreciate being trusted and may work harder to keep it.
2. Stay humble
In being humble, you have the perspective to see that you are as valuable as others, that you make mistakes and that the needs of others are as important as your own. Team members respond positively to managers who recognize that everyone is equal.
3. Show competence
Your employees are more likely to follow your lead if you show them you know what you’re talking about. Continue to gain expertise and knowledge in your field, then impart it to your team members to help them excel. For example, you might attend continuing education courses in your field and share the highlights with your team during a meeting.
4. Help others find their voice
A good leader explains their vision for their team, then allows the members to innovate, collaborate and engage. This results in an atmosphere of co-ownership, which gives people a sense of pride and belonging. They see their voice as contributing to the achievements of the team.
5. Provide a chance for small wins
Set your employees up for greater success by helping them achieve incremental goals. People respond well when their potential is magnified through achievement and they appreciate the leader who helped them thrive. It can be especially rewarding when your team finds success together as everyone involved in the project is recognized for their contribution.
6. Believe in your team members
When a person knows someone believes in them, it can help motivate them to achieve more. Make sure to regularly and sincerely tell your employees that you believe in their work and praise them when they achieve something big. You should also support your team members by speaking out on their behalf and offering to help when you recognize a need.
7. Serve others first
Helping others grow is a core responsibility of a leader. Focusing on the development aspect of managing is sometimes referred to as “servant leadership,” which prioritizes your employees’ needs above your own. Servant leadership is important in business because it creates a work environment in which employees at all levels of your organization feel respected, appreciated and valued.
8. Think big for others
Influential leaders have high aspirations for their employees. They see and cultivate the abilities that even an individual may not recognize in themself. One of your goals as a leader should be to help others reach their full potential.
9. Balance autonomy and authority
Influential leaders understand how to both relate to their employees and inspire them. To gain more respect among your team, regularly instill confidence in your team members’ growth. Let them know you trust the quality of their work, their time management skills and their ability to find the resources they need to complete their tasks. Autonomy also encourages your team to work individually and as a group and to be creative which can be highly motivating and encouraging.
10. Influence with character
It’s important as a leader to do what’s right no matter how difficult it may be. Team members are more likely to trust you if you exhibit integrity and take personal responsibility for your actions. As an influencing leader, you should tolerate challenges, delays and unexpected obstacles while maintaining a calm, even demeanor.
11. Clarify expectations
Good leaders make their expectations clear. Set definite goals at the beginning of a project and relay them to your team, so they can get a clear idea of their progress. As a leader, effectively stating what you expect can help reduce confusion and lead employees to complete more tasks successfully. It’s also important to keep your team engaged by regularly communicating your vision of success.
12. Be passionate
Passion produces energy and can ignite others’ enthusiasm. A positive attitude can benefit both you and those around you, so liking what you do and being passionate in your career can impact others and encourage them to stay focused and productive. If you care deeply about something, your team is likely to care as well. Share your excitement with your employees.
13. Demonstrate openness
Open-minded people are more likely to appreciate experiences, beliefs, emotions, goals or arguments that may not align with their own. Engage regularly with your employees and open up the conversation to consider their viewpoints and ideas.
14. Practice effective nonverbal cues
What you say and how you say it are equally important to consider as a leader. Keep these points in mind when communicating with your team to ensure your message is coming across in an influential manner:
Be aware of your body language: Slouching, crossing your arms or tapping your foot are all examples of nonverbal messages that may give a negative impression. Try to keep your arms open, head up and body relaxed.
Make eye contact: Looking others in the eye when you talk to them is a small but effective way to exert influence. Eye contact helps you connect with other people and can help them concentrate more on what you’re telling them.
Include stories: Relaying information, especially examples, in story format keeps the listener more engaged. This can help employees retain more of what you say.