It’s a common misconception that to be a leader, you cannot show any sign of weakness. This is often thought to include signs of emotion. At The IIE’s Varsity College, we believe that the best leaders are the ones who retain their humility and aren’t afraid to show that they care. For those studying a Bachelor in Commerce, that hope to lead a large organisation one day, this one is for you.
To build and maintain good relationships with those that we lead, we need to be able to establish positive emotional ties with them. This comes from a combination of actions and words. For the purpose of this article, we’ll focus on what good leaders should say to inspire and encourage those that look up to them.
1. “I want to mentor you.”
Whilst every leader is a mentor due to their job description, few want to mentor others by choice. By showing employees that you want to help them improve themselves and reach the peak of their abilities, you’ll be more likely to enjoy what you do. As an added benefit, you’ll be more likely to get the most out of those who work for you. Mentorship is a bit like a chain reaction. Those who were mentored with business skills often go on to share what they know with others. This makes being a mentor incredibly rewarding when you get to see the greater impact that it can have.
2. “I believe in you.”
A Bachelor in Commerce will teach you all about the various aspects of business management. One of the most important ones happens to be the way that we deal with people. Every single one of us has the human need to be affirmed by others. This gives those in leadership positions a crucial responsibility to help those around them reach their full potential. Leaders who don’t share this kind of affirmation tend to alienate their employees because they make staff feel as if they are inadequate. This is a sure way to decrease morale and productivity as a whole. Every success story was once a novice who was given a single opportunity.
3. “It’s okay, I forgive you.”
This one is difficult to say and is often resisted because mistakes cost the business money. Strategic management of employees is key when these hiccups occur and sometimes leaders can get this wrong. By demonstrating to other staff that mistakes are not tolerated, it should help discourage others from doing the same, right? Wrong. Everybody makes mistakes, that’s not important. What is vital is that we help people overcome these mistakes so that they feel empowered enough to never make them again. By telling an employee that you have forgiven them, it closes off the incident and leaves them motivated to deliver better work the next time around.
4. “I made a mistake, I’m sorry.”
The most difficult of all is the one that is the most important too. As mentioned above, we all make mistakes but when a leader falters it is often embarrassing for the one in the position of power. It’s vital to remember that this happens and that it’s possible to move past it if we take ownership and apologise. By doing so, you show the admirable humility and responsibility that makes good leaders great. It also displays that you care for your employees enough to be honest with them. As an added benefit, being able to apologise will only gain you more respect in the workplace.
Take the lead with a recognised qualification.
At The IIE’s Varsity College, the IIE BCom is a broad-based business degree that unlocks a world of opportunities. For more on what this qualification stands to offer you, please click here to visit our website.
Varsity College is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE). South Africa’s leading private higher education provider that’s registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training and accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC).