Great leadership management requires respect, patience, communication, and awareness. It doesn’t come easy and requires you to step out of your comfort zone. It requires on-the-spot thinking and problem resolution. While some are naturally born to lead, others learn through practice. But no matter how you became a leader, there are a few things you should always remember, and a few things you should always avoid for effective leadership management. 

The DOs of Leadership Management 

DO acknowledge everyone’s individual needs and skills

A leader needs to be able to distinguish between one team member’s needs versus another. You will have a team of diverse individuals when on-site or in the office that will need different kinds of attention. Be versatile in how you speak to everyone. If one individual needs more encouragement than another, create a comfortable atmosphere for them where they aren’t scared to ask for help. When a certain team member has a particular skill, find the area of the event/meeting that would benefit from his attention. Not everyone on your team will respond to the same sort of leadership, therefore you need to find the correct way to communicate with each individual. When you don’t have the necessary time, pulling team members aside and asking what they feel they would be best at doing is also effective.

DO lead by example

As a leader, it is your job to not only verbally discuss expectations of your team members, but to visibly display the expectations. Your team members will not put in hard work if they don’t see you working at the same level. Motivate your team members by working alongside them at the pace and expectations you want to see. Individuals are more prone to listen and work hard if their leader is doing excellent work on-site as well. We tend to gravitate towards leaders and team members who are the embodiment of what they expect of us.

DO keep in touch with all contact points (Tigris, client on-site and team members)

Communication, in any situation, is key to success but is crucial in leadership management. When on site, make sure you get in touch with your head office (Tigris) to let them know you have arrived. Keep communication open with the head office if issues arise that need manager attention. Always keep in contact with all of your team members in person while on site. Let them know what their roles are. Do check up on them during your shift to make sure everyone is being efficient and has everything they need to do a great job.

Lastly, make sure the on-site client is always aware of any issues and keep communication transparent. Do not try to solve an issue all on your own. Discuss solutions with the client and find the best solution that works for them as they are the ones who hire Tigris, and in turn hire you. 

DO give constructive criticism and feedback

One of the hardest parts for some of being a leader is giving constructive criticism or feedback. It is human nature to shy away from uncomfortable situations; telling someone they aren’t doing a good job is definitely one of those. But as a leader, it is your responsibility to make sure your team is meeting expectations. You need to begin by assessing the current on-site situation: Are there enough surveys being filled out? Is there enough attendee interaction? Has set-up been done effectively? Is there room for improvement in parts of the event that involves your team members that could use improvement?

Once you finish assessing the current situation, make sure each team member is pulling their weight. If a team member looks as if they are just sitting around, have a discussion with them about areas on-site that need their assistance. If a team member is shy or is working hard but not quite meeting expectations, begin by telling them what they are doing correctly and then suggest alternatives. In addition, mention ways they can improve their weaker areas. Just remember, when giving constructive criticism or feedback, make sure you pull them aside and do it one-on-one, not in front of others.

The DONT’S of Leadership Management

DON’T talk down to your team members

Always remember to treat your team members with respect. Even though you are the leader, you need to show them the same respect you expect to be given back. If they feel you are demanding or controlling, the respect will be lost. Find a balance of being authoritative without being bossy. Do not treat team members as if you are better than them. You are the leader, but you are also part of the team, which is something vital to remember as part of good leadership management. When giving constructive criticism, find a way to fix the problem without making someone feel inadequate or small.

DON’T try to do everything on your own

Sometimes in a leader mentality, you begin to think you must be invincible. You start taking on big tasks by yourself and not asking for help. The way a leader is effective is by leading a team that can take on big tasks without needing full leader supervision. If there is an important task to do, use your team as a well-oiled machine instead of trying to figure all of it out on your own. Effective leadership management means leading a superior team, not overworking or over stressing yourself just to prove you can do it on your own (mistakes get made that way).

DON’T talk to your team when you’re angry or frustrated

In any given situation, when emotions are running high, it will cause a distorted view of a situation. It is worse when you are a leader and you speak to a manager, client, or team member in that moment of anger or frustration. Your speech will make you look unprofessional and will lose you some respect. So what can you do? If you feel frustration brewing, before you go speak to anyone, take yourself away from the situation if possible and take a few deep breaths. Try to relax before speaking to someone about it if it isn’t an emergency. You look more calm, responsible and dependable.

Remember, great leadership management isn’t going to happen overnight. So grab the leadership opportunities that come your way and always remain true to who you are. Consider your team an asset and use every mistake as a learning opportunity.

Discover what kind of leadership management style you follow in this fun quiz. If you’re interested in working alongside some of the leaders at Tigris, contact us today for more information on our event planning and staffing services.