You assign a task and when the deadline approaches, you don’t get anything ready. You ask to present the ongoing project but when its time, the presentation is all screwed up. You leave the office giving instructions to your team members but when you return expecting them to put forward the results, you see that nothing has been implemented. Why is this so? Have you made any effort to find out the reasons why your team won’t listen to you? Is it their shortcoming or is something lacking at your end?
Communication???
Whether you are the CEO of an organization or an employee having staff reporting to you, you are a leader and successful leadership is quite challenging. Your leadership quality determines whether your team members will co-operate or not. The key factor of good leadership is healthy communication between the leader and the team. It is important that you communicate the principles essential for a healthy working environment. The way you communicate is critical to the goals being met. There are many ways of communicating effectively that will ensure that your team will listen to you.
Be Open:
Don’t try to pretend to be who you are not. Your team will realize at once that you are pretending and not being true. Be open, share your thoughts, tell them about the difficulties that you face, discuss with them the strategies that you want to apply. If you don’t know the answer to any question, instead of giving a wrong reply, you should not hesitate to tell them that you will come back with it in the next meeting.
Be Friendly:
A friendly atmosphere guarantees increased output. Let your team members give their recommendations. Listening to other people is one of the best ways to get them listen to you. You should encourage your team to speak and then be responsive and friendly. This way you will earn their respect which will result in them listening to and acting upon future requests.
Be Concerned:
When you show care towards your team and are concerned about their difficulties, they will feel good about it. They will in-turn listen to you and will work harder with more dedication. This way, your team members will be more loyal and devoted.
