by Mike Stratfold

Created on: November 02, 2009

Recent studies and many leadership books have shown conclusively that there are many important ways that you can improve your leadership skills for both the workplace and your own life as an individual. Lets examine the key points below.

1. Learn the modern leadership styles.

Master all of the leadership styles that you should get to know back to front. These are as follows.

Participative style, Consulting style, Negotiative style, Delegative style, Directive style.

Most leaders are comfortable using two to three of these styles.

The trick is to excel in using these styles you know well first. Once you have achieved this, then you must then learn to use the leadership styles you do not often use. If you master them all then you are on the way to becoming a better leader.

2. Consult with the experts.

Ask your staff for feedback on how they think you are going. You will be surprised to hear what your staff have to say about you and you should learn a lot about your leadership in the workplace. Once you have done this try to apply what you have learnt.

3. Improve your communication skills.

Try to spend at least one hour a day talking to your staff on how they are performing. If your staff are doing well, then you are in part doing your job well.

4. Provide specific feedback.

You must give specific and constructive feedback to your staff on a regular basis. If you don't do this then you are not being a very productive leader.

5. Prioritise your time.

Give yourself time to plan and organise yourself. This does not happen by accident, because the best leaders are organised and ready for the week and the months and even years ahead. This is in essence both short term operational and long term strategic planning.

6. M.B.W.A.

This is called management by walking around. When you work in a big company it pays to be seen by all and sundry. Carry a little notebook with you and when you see something important you want to remember, write it down so that then later you can transfer this information to your diary or planner. Alteratively you can take your electronic organiser with you instead of a paper notebook.

7. Sandwich technique

This is a technique where you first start talking to a person in a positive way, then put the hard topic or difficult topic in the middle, then also finish on a positive note. This sounds much better than just bringing up the negative issues to a staff member. Imagine a burger or sandwich. Start with the bread on the top which is the positive conversation, then the burger pattie is the hard topic, then the bottom part of the burger is the completion of another positive statement about that person.

8. Smoking mirrors technique

This is where you learn to deflect conversations that you don't want to discuss, so you simply deflect the question and change the topic or alternatively you repeat back the same question to the person that asked it in the first place. This can save you valuable time when you are too busy.

9. Learn the first names of all staff and customers

You will be held in much higher regard if you learn the names of all of your staff members and your regular customers. If you do this then this is a very positive way to improve your image and own self esteem.

If you consider all of these main points then you will be well on the way to being a far more effective leader in the workplace.

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