What do successful leaders do?

Think about people with whom you have worked who you would consider effective leaders.

What did you like about working with them? What makes them different from someone who you did not like working with?

When we consider what effective leaders do, we sum it up by saying it would be these five things.

1. Create trust

Successful leaders create an environment where trust exists. This enables respectful and open dialogue where team members can be clear and candid about what they think and feel. However, if the work environment is not respectful and inclusive, and a high level of trust does not exist, people will be reluctant to say what they honestly think and will be unmotivated to produce new ideas. In these environments, fear, whether conscious or unconscious, will be a barrier to two-way discussions.

2. Provide clarity

Successful leaders ensure their team are aligned and understand what success looks like. They provide clarity on the team’s mandate and how each person’s work fits into the team’s goals. Context on decisions is explained. When leaders take time for these discussions with their teams, it shows respect and builds buy-in.

3. Enable capability

Providing clarity helps teams know what work to do. Ensuring capability helps teams know how to do the work.

While this may involve formal development actions (such as a workshop), it mainly comes from providing ongoing coaching and performance feedback.

4. Support progress.

Effective leaders stay connected without getting in the way. They have productive 1-1 meetings, and maintain regular communication without micromanaging.

They also ensure resources are properly allocated and help remove obstacles to execution.

5. Recognize achievement.

Small and big wins are recognized in meaningful ways. Milestones are acknowledged and recognition is given for achieving results as well as demonstrating the values and behaviors demonstrated while achieving those results.

So back to the most effective leader with whom you’ve ever worked. Did they do these five things? Our hunch is that you would respond with a resounding Yes!