7 Ways that leaders can make a positive impact on those they lead

Confident leaders know that people, who feel they matter, will. People who feel they don’t matter, won’t.

1.   Develop their skills. Competence means I matter.

2.   Give them authority to make choices. Warren Buffet said, “Delegate almost to the point of abdication.” He owns over 80 businesses. The third richest man in the world (Forbes 2011) tells the CEO’s of his businesses that he doesn’t expect to hear from them more than once a year. He says the business is yours; you run it.

3.   Explain their impact. Create goals, milestones, and deliverables that highlight the results of their efforts, positive or negative.

4.   Tie daily behaviors to purpose. Tell them what their behaviors mean in practical terms. One social enterprise that worked with single mothers brought single mothers into the office. Seeing the people they served gave purpose to daily activities.

5.   Build their security by acting consistently. Secure people dare to courageously act. Secure people trust that you won’t harm them. Insecure people constantly walk on thin ice.

6.   Encouragement is an inexpensive way to reward people but it is most effective when done sincerely and consistently.

7.   Make sure any feedback you give is strength centered and evidence based. In other words don’t just tell them they did well tell them exactly what it was that they did well.