Illustration by Gynelle AlvisThe increasing rate of change in the business environment is a major factor in this new emphasis on leadership.
In the past, managers were expected to maintain the status quo in order to move ahead. New forces in the marketplace have made it necessary to expand this narrow focus.
The new leaders of tomorrow are visionary.
They are both learners and teachers. Not only do they foresee paradigm changes in society, but they also have a strong sense of ethics and work to build integrity in their organisations.
And the good news is that a leader whos well liked by his or her employees inspires loyalty, which in turn increases productivity and keeps morale high and turnover low. It is important for any leader to understand that every person is designed differently, and this diversity is probably the reason for the success of a team.
Some pointers:
1. Early greetings to demonstrate high levels of enthusiasm for a new workday. Go out of your way to greet your employees. Deliver compliments early in the day to put your employees in a positive frame of mind as they face their day.
2. Provide lots of opportunities to see you frequently throughout the day. Walk around the company with your head high and a smile on your face. Avoid hiding out in your office doing paperwork for hours at a time. If your employees dont see you during the day (or night in case of BPOs), they can feel ignored or, worse, demoralised.
3. Have fun at victories. Set small and attainable goals every few weeks or months to give your employees tasks worth striving toward. Dont wait until you complete a big project to congratulate the people who were involved. Its easy to bring in a cake and some soft drinks to reward outstanding performances for a job well done.
4. Promote cleanliness. Every few months, give your employees two or three hours to clean their desks, their files, and do minor computer repairs. If you let them know you care about their working conditions and their stress levels, theyll be more dedicated to producing top quality work.
5. Take a walk during slump times (around 3 pm and 2 am), and ask people, Hows it going? This is a time when everyone needs a quick lift and theyll appreciate your care and concern.
6. Incentives to show that you care about them. Allow them time off to volunteer for community projects your company supports if they produce quality work. Offer flexi time to those qualified people who need it for personal reasons (a sick child, a semester of extra education etc).
7. Encourage friendships among co-workers. People want to have friends at work, yet many are too busy or too shy to know how to go about it. Encourage interaction by giving your employees the chance to share their talents with other employees within your office.
8. Hide your anger. If an employee does something that provokes your anger, instead of blowing up let that person know youre disappointed in his or her behavior and never criticise them as a person. Thats the difference between a good critique and criticism. Most people can learn from a well-thought-out critique yet all people hate being criticised.
Amit Varma heads Human Resources at Adventity, a financial BPO company in Thane.
