by Adele Gregory

Created on: February 11, 2010   Last Updated: October 18, 2010

Monthly statistics and annual reviews can only scratch the surface of what it means to be an effective leader. The signs of an effective leader are much more than what your team can accomplish; they’re the environment you create.

Motivating your team will be near the top of most leadership lists. In the movies, armies are motivated by passionate rallying calls. But in the workplace there are lots of little battles as well as big ones, and long stretches of non-battle routine. A manager who is an effective motivational leader will achieve enough “buy-in” from staff so that they aren’t simply carried along on a short-lived wave of enthusiasm. They stay motivated.  One way to know that you’ve truly motivated your staff is that they can absorb minor setbacks and disappointments without losing heart.  Most managers give pep talks, but effective leaders rarely have to give the same ones over and over again.

A very positive sign, if it comes up is hearing a member of your team say “When I was struggling, I thought about what you might do or say”, or “I imagined your voice advising me to…”. Remarks like these tell you, of course, that you’re a positive role model. But they show, too, that your leadership is consistent, has impact and that you’ve not just communicated your decisions but also the thinking behind them. This good internal template they have of you gives rise to another sign of effectively leadership - that people can continue to function well even when you’re not around. 

All managers might not be effective leaders, but good leaders still need to manage effectively. There will always be times when extra work or unforeseen circumstances mean pulling out the stops. But when an average workload fits comfortably into normal working hours, it proves that you can manage priorities, resources, people’s time and task assignments efficiently.

Perhaps the most important sign of all is that good leaders bring out the best in people. Staff working with an effective leader don’t just do their work, they take pride in it. They share their successes as well as their troubles. They might volunteer their time or make suggestions to improve things even when there isn’t a problem, and when there is, they bring it to you before it becomes a crisis. And while people should never feel intimidated when you walk into the room, they shouldn’t act inappropriately in front of you or worse, invite you to join in. This isn’t because they’re afraid of you, but because they’re in the presence of someone they respect who walks the professional talk.

Management courses can give you tips on how to lead effectively, but it’s seeing that your staff members can together as a team, feel proud and confident about their abilities and care about their work that shows you’ve become an effective leader. 

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