How Can You Spot Great Leaders? They do These Things Well...

How Can You Spot Great Leaders? They Do TheseThings Well

By John Peitzman - Entrepreneur

So, I'm curious. Did any of you this year work for someone in a high-level leadership role, perhaps an owner or senior manager, and suddenly it dawned on you at some point: This person is not leadership material. Your next thought may have been, How in the world did he (or she) make it to their position.

It's a fair question. People are promoted into leadership roles every day who have no business belonging there. I know this because I coach leaders and I wonder the same thought myself!

Sometimes it's political; other times it's the easier choice--promote individual contributors from within and avoid the high cost of recruitment--but a bad choice, nonetheless.

The biggest challenge most leaders face hasn't changed: it's performing to the set standards that define great leaders. This means raising the bar really high by learning and applying the leadership competencies that lend to success on the job. In the end, you'll find the leadership journey is predicated on two things that drive that success: Results and relationships. You can't have results at the expense of people. And serving your tribe well without getting results.

6 Ways To Raise Your Leadership Bar High

As we head into 2022, I will keep my eye out for great leaders to document their approach in my columns and podcast for the world to witness. If you know of such a leader, send them my way. As the evidence asserts, high levels leaders who walk the talk do so by fostering a positive work environment that elevates the employee experience to new heights. In order to get you off to a great start, here are six things that I absolutely recommend leaders do consistently well throughout 2022:

1. Make Regular Feedback A Priority

This is a core principle of effective communication in great leadership, whether it's to address performance issues, clarify direction, or set expectations on critical tasks or strategies. Practice these techniques regularly:

• Keep it simple and avoid information overload.

• Approach the other person directly.

• Be specific and use examples.

• Describe the behavior you would prefer; focus on the issue, not the person.

• Check for receptivity and understanding so both parties are on the same page. Does what the employee heard match the feedback given? If not, clarify.

• Remain open for discussions.

2. Scheduled Ongoing Planning Sessions

Leaders need to set the expectation of having one day, usually Monday, to get together and discuss each other's priorities for the week. Yes, leaders also share their biggest priorities for the week and help their direct reports to refocus their priorities to be in alignment with the most important initiatives for the week. This strengthens bonds, helps boost engagement, and gets you more focused results.

3. Employ The 'Stay Interview' To Retain People

The last thing leaders want to foster is a negative work culture of "how long do I wait before jumping ship?" For leaders to turn The Great Resignation into The Great Retention, one cost-effective leadership habit is to conduct "stay interviews," especially with those "at risk to leave" employees who may be updating their resumes. Unlike the exit interview, you're getting fresh knowledge and insight about what you can do to improve and retain those valued employees -- today -- not after they have emotionally and mentally disconnected and stopped caring. Here are some strategies for pulling it off with ease.

4. Recognize Your Workers

To drastically improve the employee experience, leaders need to tap into the innate and necessary human need for recognition and appreciation. It's in the human design to be acknowledged for excellence at work and research confirms this. Employees working for organizations that offer recognition programs, and particularly those that provide rewards based on demonstrating

core values, the research found, had a considerably higher and more satisfying employee experience than those in organizations that do not offer formal recognition programs.

5. Give Employees Ownership To Make Decisions

One of the best things a leader can do is give employees the freedom and opportunity to decide, participate in, and determine how work is best accomplished. Research has found that employees who feel their ideas and suggestions matter are more than twice as likely to report a positive employee experience than those who don't (83 percent vs. 34 percent). A similar pattern emerged among employees who have the freedom to decide how to do their work (79 percent vs. 42 percent). Employees thrive in entrepreneurial work settings, which make them feel like they're invested in the company. This means giving them freedom in and ownership of their work. When you do, they're likely to perform at a higher level.

6. Expose Employees To New Opportunities

Leaders need to stretch their employees with work that will expand their knowledge and sharpen their skills. This means allowing your valued employees to explore opportunities both inside and outside your company to learn something new, such as joining a cross-functional project, picking up another skill, or leading or participating in a "lunch and learn."

Your turn: What would you add to this list that will help make leaders better in 2022?

About Marcel Schwantes; a global speaker, leadership expert, executive coach, author, podcast host, and syndicated columnist with a worldwide following. He teaches emerging leaders the skills to build great work cultures where people and businesses flourish.