Every business needs a true leader

If you manage people, you’ll know it can be hard work. Every employee is different, with unique needs, desires and motivations. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses. And you have to figure those out if you want to get the best out of your staff.

But leading is even tougher than managing. To be a leader you must bring people with you on the journey, tap into their emotions and set your team on the same path, and identify their motivations and passion points to connect everyone to a common goal.

To be an effective leader, your natural position is to be at the front and act like you belong there. You are accountable for your business. Your employees will look to you for guidance. They will take their cues from you.

Through inspiration, a good leader can change an entire organisation for the better.

Thick skin is an essential trait. Failure is part of learning. We know that’s true for children and it applies to adults too. Failure teaches lessons that success never can. Yet many workplaces don’t allow space for failure.

Be prepared for mistakes. Instead of reprimanding your employees when things go wrong, ask them what they learned. Then make sure they apply that new learning to their work. Being lenient about genuine mistakes will encourage your employees to experiment with new ideas. Some of them will pay off for your business – big time.

Understand what motivates your employees. If you’ve hired the right employees then you’ll know what your team members can do. That means you believe in their skills, experience and personalities. So tell them that. Give them the gift of your belief in them.

Your employees will blossom with the knowledge that you really value them.

Employment is about more than earning a wage – it’s about making a valuable contribution.

Helping others can be intrinsically rewarding in a way that money never can. Make every employee feel part of the big picture. And with that big picture in mind, let them know that they’re a part of it – focus on their development. You too have a responsibility, to help them achieve their career goals you must share your experience and encourage them to hone their skills. The more time invested, the better the return. Leading your employees will take an emotional investment from you, the moment you put all of yourself into the nurturing of your staff is the moment you become a true leader.

Kat Bond is a Senior Account Manager at Xero.