I came across this helpful article today, thought I would pass it along....
Steven Liparoto, in his leadership guide, "How to Draw the Best Out of Your People" offers the six leadership practices that make the most of your team members.
Lead Yourself.
Self-discipline must be "job one" if you are to draw out the best in others. Know your natural talents, your limits, your goals and values.
Know Your People.
Discover what each person is best at and capitalize on those gifts, talents and abilities. Do not attempt to "fix" their weaknesses but find ways to manage around them.
Build Trust With Them.
Building trusting relationships with your team members will encourage full commitment from them. An absence of trust leads to a fear of conflict, avoidance of accountability and eventual inattention to results.
Coach Them.
Provide the resources, encouragement, guidance and correction needed so your people can excel and achieve winning results. Address the needs of the whole person: heart, body, mind and spirit.
Release Them.
Continual checking up on your team members warns of a lack of trust and damages your credibility. When you permit your team members to function autonomously with less over-the-shoulder monitoring, they are "released" to exercise their own judgment about achieving results. This freedom creates a sense of ownership, accomplishment and responsibility. Define your goals and results clearly, then be approachable and recognize positive contributions.
Have Fun With Them.
Intentionally create a satisfying, joy-filled workplace by playing fair, encouraging friendships, offering challenging work, and reminding the team that the work is worthwhile. When you give people the opportunity to get together and laugh, it creates a strong sense of camaraderie, solidarity and team orientation.
This list is a good start, any team leaders have any other suggestions?
