Lead through Partnership, Not Power

1. Share information: When you generously share information with team members, they feel valued and trusted, empowered as partners and as company "insiders" to contribute ideas and help find solutions. Leaders who hoard knowledge to strengthen their control and influence risk alienating their teams and preventing them from learning, building new skills and expanding their contribution to the success of the group and organization.

2. Know when to delegate: Some managers hold on to tasks, even when they know another team member is perfectly capable of executing them successfully. Look at what’s on your plate. Are there responsibilities that you could reasonably assign to others? If so, hand them over, showing team members that you have confidence in them and giving them an opportunity to learn and grow.

3. Help, don’t hover: Even well-intentioned managers can be guilty of micromanaging — monitoring a team member step-by-step through a task and controlling every aspect of the process. Regardless of intent, this tells the employee that you think he or she may not be fully capable of completing the task. Instead, reassure your team member that you are available to help if needed, and then give them room to learn, experiment and even experience some setbacks along the way.

4. Show appreciation: According to a 2022 Gallup and Workhuman study on employee recognition, employees who strongly agree that they get the right amount of recognition for their work are up to 84% more likely to be thriving. Expressing appreciation for a job well done shows that you value your team’s contributions and don’t take their hard work and commitment for granted.

5. Encourage open communication: The “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” school of thought may seem like an efficient way to approach work, but it can also stifle progress and innovation. The best leaders encourage team members to speak up and express their opinions, share ideas, and propose new ways of tackling problems and getting work done.

Being a great boss isn’t about being “bossy.” Truly effective leaders partner with their teams and rely on generosity, trust, recognition and openness to bring out the best in their team members and in themselves.