In next month’s blog post, I will focus on the all-too-common leadership pitfall of playing favorites. Here, we’ll address another common leadership trap: the notion that you’re responsible for absolute knowledge and, therefore, have nothing to learn from your direct reports.
There are many benefits of looking to your employees as “teachers” who positively inform your work decisions. In this blog, I’ll discuss four main positive outcomes that result from an openness and willingness to learn from your employees. Understanding and embracing these basic principles lends itself to solid, more respected, and well-regarded leadership.
The Benefits of Looking to Your Employees as “Teachers”:
- Provides you with a wider view of your business. Employees represent a wide cross-section of your business. They are responsible for performing the day-to-day actions that keep your company strong. Whether they are assembling cars in a factory, answering phones, or tending to patients, they will have an intimate view of the company that may be different from your own. Learning from their unique perspective can help you eliminate your blind spots. This can also direct you in creating and implementing tools, policies, and procedures better suited for your business to run optimally.
- Allows for workplace innovation. An exchange of ideas between a leader and their employees fosters an atmosphere of constant learning and improvement. When employees feel they’re being respected and heard, this serves as a catalyst to foster innovation in the workplace. It is precisely this key factor that facilitates ingenuity and gives your business a competitive edge in the marketplace.
- Makes for greater employee engagement and satisfaction. Happy employees who feel they are a part of the process are satisfied employees. When employees are content, they are more likely to be passionate about their jobs, have a stronger commitment to the organization, and put greater effort into their work. All of this results in increased employee retention.
- Leads to a good reputation. Workers who feel valued will have great things to say about working for the company. That’s exactly the type of word you want out in public and in online employer reviews. A strong reputation can help you attract the best talent, which is what your business needs to keep thriving. Not to mention, these same employees are more apt to provide customer service excellence for a company they feel positive about, which in turn can bolster consistent revenue growth.
In closing, a key strategy for every successful leader centers on listening to, learning from, and respecting the ideas of their employees. When your employees feel that their opinions matter to you, they are more likely to take pride in their work and perform their jobs better. What’s more, happier employees make for a more pleasant working environment for everyone.
Inevitably, what you’ll see is a better financial bottom line for the company . . . and job satisfaction and security for you.
