CEO Today - March 2023

50 LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP 1. Making an effort to empathise While you may not be in exactly the same situation as another member of your team, we can always show empathy and compassion towards another and the dilemma they may be faced with. It starts with putting yourself in their shoes and at least attempting to see the world from their perspective. Although it can be hard to imagine how you would feel in someone else’s situation, the effort alone can often create more compassion and understanding with what another individual may be going through. Combine this with active listening, open body language and careful responses, which all help to build rapport and make you accessible to the other person. When responding, be as supportive as you can and avoid interruptions and criticism. Instead, reframe your responses towards feedback and ideas. Remember, empathy can be demonstrated in many different ways simply by acknowledging the challenges that the staff may be facing and offering support and understanding. 2. Being transparent For an organisation to fully promote trust and reassure their team members, transparency is a key factor. However, it can take time to build and can be easily lost. The first step towards this goal is to be clear with roles, responsibilities and expectations. With clarity around these basic job functions, employees can be reassured that they are fulfilling what is required of them. This should be underpinned by clear policies and procedures for making decisions, dealing with conflict and difficult conversations. Create space for questions, continually asking for feedback irrespective of whether it is likely to be positive or negative. Lastly, train managers and leaders to act as positive role models and ensure that they continue to support the framework around transparency. 3. Being positive While being positive seems like an easy change to make, it can be hard to maintain in a consistent way. The art of being positive can take effort and for many be unnatural. It’s not just about being positive at an individual level but more so creating a positive work environment. To achieve this, show the team that you appreciate the work that they have done by public praise or even small thank yous. The aim is to boost morale and create a positive vibe throughout the work environment. Encourage personal and professional development or consider training and mentoring opportunities. 4. Being flexible The global pandemic taught many of us that the standard ‘pre-COVID’ structure of work does not get the most out of everyone. With that information and as more employees are requesting flexible working, a less rigid work structure can often ensure that you get the best out of that individual. Furthermore, allowing someone to work around some of their daily commitments including school runs, dental appointments etc reduces the stress that people experience. The difficulty with this situation

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