Being an owner of a small business isn’t about becoming popular. However, there can be numerous benefits to being a likeable leader. When you know you are liked by the people you lead, you can rely on their support as well as the energizing relationships they can offer you.
The tips you’ll read below will help you not only to become a likeable leader, but a better and more effective one. Here are the things you should do if you want to succeed in business while generating goodwill at the same time:
#1 – Remember people’s names.
It is widely believed that a person’s name is the most important and the sweetest sound there is. As a manager, it can’t be an excuse that you are not good at remembering names. You need to know the first and last names of your employees, and you should always use them. Nothing can make a person feel less important than a manager or a boss who won’t even try to know their names. By making an effort to memorize your employees’ names, you can show your team that you genuinely care about them.
#2 – Try to know your team better.
Every member of your team has their own concerns that aren’t related to work, such as money, family, and so on. You don’t have to be curious about everything that’s going on with their lives, but it’s always nice if you can take the time to get to know them on a more personal level. Ask about their dreams, plans, and goals in life. This will help you determine how you can tie their concerns to the company’s success.
#3 – Be welcoming and approachable.
You don’t have to be the ultimate solver of your employees’ problems to be considered approachable. All you need to do is become a better listener or a mentor. It would greatly improve your workplace culture if you can build an environment wherein your role is to help your employees develop skills and abilities to solve their own problems. Make it known to them that you are always around if they need you.
#4 – Have trust on your staff.
By letting your staff know that you trust their ability to solve problems, you are automatically empowering them. Your employees are likely to be very productive when they know that you support them and that you are always prepared to back them in their times of difficulty. It’s also important for you to allow your staff to make important decisions related to their jobs, as this can significantly boost their self-esteem.
#5 – Always be positive.
You need to develop a mindset that is forward-focused and positive. When you can turn a challenge into an opportunity, you are showing your employees how they should deal with their own difficulties. A person with great leadership skills can motivate people to do well not by instructing them, but by showing them how to do it.