If you think back to the most effective supervisor you ever worked for, you will remember that there were special characteristics that made them stand out as a leader. Under these special leaders, people are likely to give twice the effort as opposed to leaders who take on a more command-and-control leadership style. So what are these factors that create such transcendent leaders? We will take a look at a few of the behaviors that create great leaders.
You Help Create Meaningful Work
According to past research, “work” is one of the biggest things that give people a meaningful life. In fact, a study in 2003 of the top 25 companies in the world sought to discover what attracts and retains top performers. The results they found were that the employees of those companies felt that their work was valuable and gave them significance and purpose. It made them feel like they were doing something worthwhile. So, we see that the way people feel about their work can fuel the business outcomes such as productivity and profitability.
There are self-serving leaders who feel the need to be in the spotlight. On the other hand, there are remarkable leaders who do not need the glory as they understand what they’ve achieved. They do not look for any validation as their true validation comes from within. Instead, they stand back and contribute in celebrating others’ accomplishments, letting other people shine and giving them credit for the success which helps boost their confidence.
You Regularly Give and Receive Feedback
Elon Musk once provided some great insight on improving oneself when he said, “I think it’s very important to have a feedback loop, where you’re constantly thinking about what you’ve done and how you could be doing it better. I think that’s the single best piece of advice—constantly think about how you could be doing things better and questioning yourself.” This feedback is an essential part of the growing process for every leader. You can also win the hearts of your workers by being cultivating a transparent culture of giving and receiving feedback on a regular basis.
Rather than leveraging your power for personal gain, great leaders will put others in positions of leadership, so they can develop new strengths and roles. They are inclined to share their power because they want to see their team win. This creates loyal employees who are committed to unleashing discretionary effort beyond what is expected of them. This starts with the selfless leaders who have a keen interest in their teams’ growth and success.