Is it necessary that good performers make good leaders? No, they do not always make good leaders. They need coaching and mentoring to become good leaders. Leaders should be brave and decisive. They should be capable of accepting their mistakes and working on correcting them quickly. Leaders should be empathetic, they should build trust among teams and take the team along with them. We need leaders who can be coaches and who can be enablers as well. However, there is a shortage of such leaders.
Organizations feel that the best option to build leading teams is to promote the best-performing individuals. But there is much more to this. Winning teams is not just a bunch of high-performing talented individuals.
The transition from top performer to manager or leader without the required tools and skills leads to a drop in performance and frustration. So, when you move from being a top performer to a leader, you should focus on four main aspects in the leadership role:
Set clear roles and responsibilities
Let the teams know clearly what is expected from them. If they don’t know clearly what is expected, they will not be able to succeed. Let them clearly know what you expect from them, what should be their attitude towards work. Also let them know what success, means in their roles.
Facilitate them with required tools and technology
Training the employees is very important. Ensure they have the access to tools and technology that are required to meet the expectations and achieve the goals successfully. Always remember right training today, will help you to save several hours when the team will start working independently and you are not required to help them.
Track work and have employees accountable
Be open with your employees. Set time aside to observe, track and monitor your teams and their work. When they are working on track appreciate them. If they are not on track let them know about it and ask them the reason for missing the mark. Teach them to learn from mistakes and not to repeat the same mistakes. Tell them to take this as an opportunity to learn.
Measure their progress
Regularly keep a track of their progress. Keep it a monthly or quarterly affair. Go through their goals and discuss their progress. Share your feedback and set new goals for the next quarter.
By concentrating on these 4 parameters employees can prosper and transform from top performers to successful leaders.
So just don’t be a good doer, be empathetic and take the team along with you on the journey of growth to be a successful leader.
Written & Compiled by Faber Mayuri
Image Source – Freepik.com
