Great Leaders – it’s all about the people!

If there is one thing I have learned over the more than 35 years serving higher education (and similar organizations), is that being an engaged leader will define your success with the people on your team. Whether your staff is new or been with the organization for many years, they look to you for their guidance, success, and well-being in their daily efforts. I have seen successful leaders create an environment for their staff (and others in the organization) to feel welcome, that they matter, and that their daily efforts contribute to the mission/goals of the institution. When this environment is not present, it will show negatively in their productivity, teamwork, and morale. 

The leader is the one the staff look to for guidance in their daily workload, for support in their contributions, and mostly for their professional development and growth. Over the years, I have seen the following top five behaviors/traits in leaders create a successful environment for staff and future leaders.

1. Communication – Effectively communicating with staff and your team keeps them informed about their work, the direction of the unit/institution, and any critical information for them to be successful in their daily activities. Lack of communication creates mistrust, rumors, and negative morale.
2. Appreciation – People like to be seen, understood, and most of all appreciated for their contributions to the organization. This does not require a financial reward, it is a simple acknowledgement for their daily efforts, a completed project, or a special recognition for contributing to a desired goal.
3. Honestly – Like all relationships, honesty is critical to building trust between two (or more) people, especially the leader of the unit/organization and the staff member(s). Every leader needs to make decisions, work with teams, and give feedback to the staff. During these interactions, the leader must be direct, tell the truth, and answer questions to the best of their ability (explaining if some information is confidential).
4. Coaching/mentoring – Most staff at all levels have a desire to grow within the organization, or even move to a new organization with a promotion, new title, and greater responsibilities. You, as a leader, understand what it takes, the pitfalls, the emotional intelligence, and the hard work it takes to grow professionally. Coaching/mentoring a staff member can help them understand their potential, the opportunities, and what may lie ahead for them professionally with your help, guidance, and support. 
5. Creating a non-stressful environment – Leaders must create a relaxed and fun environment for the staff. The occasional humor in a meeting, ice breaker activities, or dedicated time for pressure relief (breaks, games, etc.) will increase the efforts for the daily work and projects. Working hard is critical for success, while adding a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere will add to the team’s ability to succeed.

There are other behavior/traits of a successful leader, from my perspective these are a must for staff and team engagement, hard work, and success.  Some of these are not natural behaviors for people, so many leaders have professional coaches that help develop these and other behaviors/traits for their work (and often home) environment. They are not easy to implement into your daily email, meeting, or daily grind, but they must become a part of your day-to-day routine to be a successful leader in higher education and many other organizations.