Throughout your life, you’ve probably had many bosses. Some of them stick out in your head because, let’s face it, they were terrible. Maybe they were quick to anger, poor communicators, never had your back (even if you were being verbally attacked by a customer), expected you to read their minds, or worse yet, changed their minds without telling you. Or maybe they were just plain old bullies. You’d get sick to your stomach Sunday afternoon just thinking about walking in on Monday morning.
Thankfully, there’s a good chance that you’ve had a manager or two who comes to mind when you think of a rock star boss, as well. They encouraged you to grow, spoke kindly, supported you, created a safe place, they would kindly step aside and gave you permission to own the stage, and made you want to come to work each morning because you were excited to work with them.
Now that you are the leader, which type of boss do you want to be?
If you said the latter, great! We are going to take a look at the rock star leadership characteristics that employees remember fondly years into the future. If you’re looking to turn up the volume on your leadership, you are in the right place.
How to be a Memorable Leader
Let’s think back to that amazing boss you loved working for. Do you remember exactly what they did that made them so wonderful? Here are a few behaviors and characteristics that might jog your memory.
Fostering teamwork – A good leader creates a culture of teamwork, collaboration, and support. Instead of pitting employees against one another, they find each person’s unique gifts and use them to complement the other team members. This creates an environment where people will lift each other up instead of tearing each other down.
Offering constructive (and kind) feedback – Yes, there’s always room for improvement. However, a good leader will provide constructive criticism in private with the intent to build up their employees. A poor leader will use degradation (often in public) to shame their employees into doing a better job. Using this type of criticism will only serve to make them work harder… at finding a new job.
Showing humility – Leaders make mistakes, too. Bad leaders double down on those mistakes. They deny having made them, blame others, or just bulldoze over anyone trying to point out their faux pas. On the other hand, a good leader is open to feedback. They are willing to learn from their team and admit when they’ve made a mistake.
Empowering others – A good leader wants their employees to shine. They give them responsibility (fitting with their abilities and training) and foster a sense of ownership for every member of their team. When credit is due, they allow their employees to receive the praise. They want to see their employees succeed and are not afraid that an employee will eclipse them.
Staying consistent – When you are working for a bad leader, you never know which version of them you’re getting. One day, they are singing your praises, while the next, they are threatening to fire you. This inconsistency can drive anyone up the wall. A good band leader strives to be consistent in their behavior and interactions. This builds trust with the employees and the rest of the band.
As you step into (or grow in) your leadership role, strive to be memorable… for all the right reasons. If you’d like more tips on how to turn up the volume on your leadership, visit www.marvellessmark.com.
You Rock,
Marvelless Mark- Rock Star Keynote Speaker