Apply the following eight leadership techniques to createhighly motivated, self-directed, and extremely productiveemployees and teams:

1. Provide Clear Expectations

Winning organizations know where they are going and whatis required to get there. Employees constantly need to knowwhat they need to accomplish. Communicating expectationsin a clear, concise manner is important. It’s also important tocommunicate your expectations on an individual,department, and organizational level. Continuecommunicating your expectations on an ongoing basis.Whether one-on-one, through memos, or in a team meeting,keep communicating your expectations.

2. Give Your Employees the Tools for Success

New computers are acquired, but no training is provided forthe computers; or worse, the training doesn’t meet the needof the employees to be successful. The policies are notimplemented or followed, so employees are hindered bybarriers. Time and time again I hear from employees in myworkshops that management doesn’t give them thenecessary tools for success. Here’s the secret: Ask youremployees what they need, and then give it to them.

3. Recognize Good Work

Take the time to recognize good work. Recognize employeesfor finding solutions, failing less, learning more, takinginitiative, working with others, creating outstandingcustomer service solutions, sharing ideas; and the list goeson. You get the idea. Take time to give a sincere complimentfor work well done and you, your organization, and youremployees will reap the rewards.

4. Get Interested in Your Employees

Take the time to find out what interests your employees.Find out what their passions are in life. Is it their families? Isit a sport or hobby? Is it a vintage car or boat? Is it thatthey want to accomplish the next level in their education? Isit a career goal? Whatever it is, the great leaders take thetime to find out how to help their employees accomplish theirgoals. Leaders know that by helping their employeessucceed in life, the employees will have more passion abouthelping their leaders accomplish their goals.

5. Value Their Opinions

Employees want to be involved in the process at work.Giving their opinions is one way to accomplish this. Takethe time to really listen to what your employees are saying.Take the time to ask questions. Take the time toacknowledge their opinions. Will all employees giveopinions in a positive way? No. Our job as a leader is to setthe parameters for giving opinions in such a way that statesa positive outcome for all. You might say, “Mike, you have alot of valuable ideas and I appreciate that you take the timeto share them. So that everyone gets the most out of yourideas, please communicate them with a positive outcome inmind.” Now you have set the tone for giving opinions. Alsotake the time to really listen for the “gold nuggets” ofinformation when an employee gives you an opinion. Theyare sharing an idea, a concern, or an emotion that you maybe able to address to help take your organization to the nextlevel.

6. Grow Your Employees

Encourage your employees to develop themselves.Encourage them to take classes, delegate tasks andchallenging assignments, and then provide support. I saythis because I run into employees who tell me the following:

“The company wants us to take additional classes and evenoffers tuition reimbursement. However, when I ask mymanager to approve my request or when I actually take thecourses, he/she makes comments inferring that these classesmight interfere with work. That’s not fair.”

No, it’s not fair. If your employees want to developthemselves, support them. Be the Captain of Progress andremove the barriers to development. Don’t worry aboutlosing your employees. Once you do this, they will becomeeven more loyal to your goals and word will quickly spreadthat you are the person to work for because you developyour people for success.

7. Communicate the Progress

Many times I will ask the participants in our team buildingprogram, “How often does your manager, supervisor, or vicepresident sit down with you and give you a progress report,informal evaluation, or job evaluation?” The majority of theparticipants will say once or maybe twice a year during theformal review progress.

This should never happen! Outstanding leaders realize thatongoing communication is the key to outstandingperformance and that employees yearn for this feedback.Outstanding leaders make sure their followers constantlyknow where they stand. They are constantly communicatingwith their employees in relationship to the overall goals.They are constantly recognizing their employees’ stellarperformances and coaching them in “areas of improvement.”Empathy, consistency, honesty, and a positive attitude whengiving employees feedback are important to the way theemployees receive the feedback.

8. Make Partners of Your Employees

Once we get past the money reason as to why people workfor you, we realize that one of the reasons why employeeswork for your organization is the following: “I want to makea difference.” Time and time again you will find peopleworking for organizations when they could easily becompensated elsewhere far more than what they are actuallyreceiving; but they enjoy working for that organizationbecause they believe in the organization’s mission, values,and goals and believe they are making a difference in thatorganization.

Make your employees your partner in achieving your goals.Communicate the mission, values, and goals and ask themhow they see themselves in relationship to these goals. Askyour employees for feedback on how to better accomplishthese goals. Involve them in the decision-making processand let them have a vested interest in the success for theproject.

Take these leadership steps today to take you, youremployees, and your teams to the next level of success.

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