Research has shown that most people, have five basic needs, that need to be satisfied in their work.
- Relatedness: Our sense of belonging and feelings of connectedness to others
- Autonomy: Our desire to feel free, when making decisions
- Status: Our desire to be accepted and acknowledged
- Fairness: Our desire to be treated equally
- Safety: Our desire to be able to predict the future and develop
It is essential that leaders incorporate those needs in every strategic decision, action plan and process.
Leadership development – 3 essential habits for successfully leading your organization
1. LEadership developmenty & future vision – present procedures
The human brain is designed to look for certainty. That means, that we don’t really think about the future, as it is insecure. It feels more secure to think short term.
Psychologists refer to this as “distance bias”.
But, short term thinking, by itself, means bad leadership, as it causes long term problems. Balancing short term goals with long term vision always lies on the leader. Keeping the right balance can lead to success. Once you have your long-term goals established, short-term goals are the necessary next step in the process.
Imagine, that the long-term goals are castles in the clouds and your short-term goals are the ladder you’ll climb to get there.
Explore your leadership style in our blogpost.
2. Leadership development for people and their inclusion in the team
Effective leadership requires effective inclusion in the team.
Brain and behavior science however knows that as people accumulate power, they lose their ability to take in others’ perspectives. They focus more on vision and goals, rather than details and people.
Leaders must avoid the blinding effects of power and focus on the core of the organization, which is people. They need to consider the peoples’ needs, empower them to speak up and create the appropriate motivation for them.
Blinding effects of power can keep leaders isolated from important events in the salon and prevent development and success.
3. Action plan
“The greatest gap in the world is the gap between knowing and doing” – John Maxwell.
The reality is that knowledge is only useful, if we do something with it. Whilst it is especially important to develop a strategy, build intellectual capital and remain up to date and aware of new developments, we still need to DO something. Well structured action plans can enhance the sense of importance, safety, relatedness and fairness in employees.
So how do we build a culture of action for our team and ourselves?
Commit to acting: When scheduling for research and planning the strategy make sure to schedule for execution too.
Simplify: Simplicity removes ambiguity, blame and confusion. It increases productivity, efficiency and creativity.
Invest in learning: Closing the gap on knowing and doing requires an investment in training and learning for our team and ourselves.
Face the fear: Fear is one of the greatest paralyzers of success and progress. To close the knowing-doing gap we need to face it – both at an individual and team level.
Lose the perfectionist tag: Perfectionism is the equivalent of paralysis. Not only does it prohibit us from taking the first step towards action, but it also creates unwarranted stress, crushes creativity, and prevents productivity.
Read more about creativity on remote working.
For more information on effective leadership development contact us at www.jenniekamaradou.com/en