The nature of leadership often goes beyond the typified managerial role, but when an administrator can assume a leadership role, they can achieve much more with their team. Leadership generally involves making way for something to happen and addressing vital points for the future. However, one of the main focuses here should be on how the administrator can affect the willingness of an employee to perform better in their job. Motivation is the critical factor, and the administrator is the catalyst. Inspiring and motivating employees can be achieved in many ways, notably through effective communication of goals, acknowledgment of further development in the employee’s role, and effective discipline regarding task performance. An administrator can assume a leadership role with employees, often with certain employees at different levels. Here, leading by example becomes a key factor for an administrator. Personal values, work ethic, and demonstrating ideal behaviors can be most convincing when role-modeled. Leaders who show what they want in their employees achieve clarity in the workforce. If leaders are wishy-washy about what they want or expect in their team, often, they will not get it. In this sense, a clear leader can steer employees in directions they might not be able to do themselves and address higher efficiency with task success. Finally, empowering and developing team members can increase employee morale and confidence. Allowing employees to take a more active role in decision-making and task implementation can increase feelings of job ownership and job satisfaction. A sense of autonomy and responsibility can often bring out the best in an employee. If they are pushed outside their comfort zone and are up to the challenge, it can usually lead to greater skill attainment and personal development. This can also be in the form of planned skill development for an employee’s future roles, as a leader might identify what would be best for the employee and the team in a future succession of the employee to a higher role.
Inspiring and Motivating Employees
Employees are motivated by how they are treated as well as by the work they perform. Positive employee motivation is based on a manager’s ability to understand employees. Understanding is how the manager can discern the causes behind an employee’s actions. This can be achieved by relating to the employee and gaining trust. The crucial factor in employee motivation is connecting with an employee. Once a connection has been made, an employee will feel valued as a person and not just a means to an end. If the employee trusts the manager, they will realize that the manager has their best interests at heart, and the employee will be more inclined to act in ways that further the manager’s goals. Understanding can also be increased by providing an environment where employees feel comfortable talking to their superiors. This can be accomplished by having an open-door policy, conducting interviews, and engaging in round-table discussions. Open dialogue assembly between all ranks in the workplace is a solid way to inspire motivation. Through dialogue, all parties can gain understanding and share it. This understanding will lead to harmony in the workplace. Listening to problems, grievances, and requests is a fundamental skill that helps managers understand and motivate employees. Any communication that demonstrates an employee’s interest is proper. Elicit regular informal feedback from employees and measure their engagement with their work. This can be achieved through two-way discussions, conducting focus groups, surveys, and assessing employee satisfaction. Eliciting feedback is an ongoing process and is the basis for goal-setting and changing processes to motivate and engage employees further. Feedback becomes a supportive bridge between the company and the employee. Building motivation requires a comprehensive approach. Employees are more motivated when they feel that their work has meaning and that they are fulfilling personal and organizational goals. Managers must communicate expectations and provide regular encouragement. A manager’s confidence and support helps employees find personal meaning in their work. Confidence in the employee entails delegating tasks or projects that are difficult yet attainable. Encouragement can be verbal or through creating an environment that fosters enthusiasm. In this manner, a manager acts as a coach and supports the employee through the development process. Confidence and support also help employees cope with learning from failure and help various cultures with different work expectations. A supportive environment is psychologically and emotionally safe for the employee. This environment is conducive to motivation and positive change.
Leading by Example
When managers say one thing and then do another, they send mixed signals to their employees. What you do is far more influential than what you say. It would be best to embody the change you want to see in your team. If you want your team to work harder, you must first show that you are working hard. If you want your team to display good teamwork, you must first display good teamwork. If you want your team to be positive and respectful, you must always model this behavior. Leaders are in the public eye, and this is why it is so important to lead by example. Walk your talk. A team’s respect for its leader is proportional to how they live out their values. Employ effective role-modeling behavior and be clear about what you are transmitting. Make sure that your words and deeds are consistent. Be aware that employees watch managers very closely, and attempts at manipulation or inconsistency will be exposed. A manager who says it is essential to have an excellent work-life balance but then proceeds to send work-related emails and texts to his employees on weekends and evenings is inconsistent and sends the message that employees should be working during these times. A manager involved in non-task-related social interactions at work and seen to be having a good time sends the message that this type of behavior is encouraged. Plan your behavior and make sure that you are sending the right messages.
Empowering and Developing Team Members
Empowerment is closely linked with the development of team members. A person who believes they have the potential for personal and career growth within an organization will be more committed. Development involves skill and knowledge growth and the growth of the person’s capacity to undertake increased responsibility and difficulty in their work. An effective manager should be looking to increase the competency of their team members to achieve the objectives of the team and the organization more effectively. When a person is given more responsibility, it is often helpful to provide additional coaching and mentoring to aid in completing the task.
Empowerment involves giving someone the means (i.e., information, skill, power, authority) to do something. When this happens, the person usually feels a stronger sense of worth and is more willing to take on responsibility. Managers who only tell their subordinates what to do without seeking their involvement in decision-making limit their potential for success as team members. When decision-making responsibility is given, performance and job satisfaction increase significantly. The team member is given the authority and control over their work, which results in increased self-confidence and a feeling of ownership. This empowerment aspect is essential when trying to develop a team member so they can take on higher levels of responsibility in the future.