The Simplest Path to Great Leadership

Simply put, all people are asking silently to be led. Great leadership can push a team to achieve things they didn’t know they could because people are called to action when inspired. It moves people in the same direction by providing a foundation for them to perform at the best of their ability. And when people are inspired, productivity increases, as well as the growth of the business.

So what makes a great leader? Good leaders coach, inspire, motivate, mentor and delegate. As a leader you give them vision and direction. As a coach you’ll teach them “how” and encourage them to win. It should also be noted that organizations tend to take on the leader’s personality, so if a leader promotes a positive attitude and harmony, the team will mirror this.

“One-on-ones” are a critical component of the effective leadership equation and the simplest way to lead. People want to be heard, acknowledged and appreciated. They want to perform for you and you just have to coach them to a winning performance. Here are a few tips from the Eufora Salon Owners Network for productive one-on-ones:

· As a leader, less talking and more listening and question asking.

· Solicit feedback. What is and isn’t working within the salon? What can I do differently or better?

· Get to know your people and goal set. This shows you are genuinely concerned about their growth and you can hold them accountable to the results they want to achieve and have them “own” it.

· When you know your players well you can hone into their strengths and delegate. People will rise to the occasion.

· Coach by showing them things they can’t see and telling them things they can’t hear.

Strong leadership and regular one-on-ones will be rewarded with increased team retention by warding off any potential unhappy or disgruntled team members that will leave and possibly take other people with them. It increases the teams engagement and their commitment to the company’s vision, strategies and goals while giving a leader an opportunity to inspire, influence, motivate, coach, listen, solve problems, create solutions, and make decisions.

Joanne Magana is with Eufora International and serves as the chief instructor for the Eufora Salon Owners' Network.