A leader’s ability to influence the success of your employees, your company, and your personal life can make a huge difference in your team’s success. A good manager and leader builds relationships with their team by encouraging communication, encouraging employee development and feedback, and facilitating communication. While anyone can delegate tasks to others, leadership is much more. Leaders have a significant impact on not only the employees they manage but also the company. Employees are more happy, productive, and connected, which is crucial during times like the coronavirus epidemic.
If leaders aren’t effective in leading teams, it can have a rapid impact on their performance. According to statistics, 70% of employee engagement issues are caused by poor managers. If employees feel disengaged, don’t communicate with their managers properly, they lose engagement and may leave their job.
You must understand yourself and your strengths and weaknesses to be a leader. Keep these tips in mind.
Make sure your employees are healthy and happy
Pandemics have brought both mental and physical health to the forefront. Healthcare workers will be the most affected by this pandemic. It is currently the largest workforce problem and will be for the next ten years. The pandemic has only exacerbated the situation for medical staff. Managers must be able to spot the signs and minimize the pressure on staff. He must also be an example to his staff and show them how to take care of their health.
Your team can be guided
Managers must assist their staff in adapting to this new reality. Although most hospitals and clinics already have COVID-19 protocols in place, good leaders can still make every effort to help their team succeed during this time. It is possible to have meetings with employees to help them understand what has happened to them, how they can address their concerns, how to fix them, how to create new operating procedures if the existing ones don’t work properly, and finally get everyone back on track towards achieving team goals.
These discussions can help leaders to focus their attention on four key issues:
The common goal. Each member of the team can understand the purpose of the team and work towards the goals by reiterating it.
Evaluation of resources available. These discussions allow the team to review available information and budget resources that will assist them in achieving their goals.
Employees are often subject to a lot of pressure. Leaders should use this time to discuss with their employees their roles and how they contributed to the team’s goals.
Reevaluating the norms. This is a great time to have a team reevaluate existing rules, to see if they are having their intended effects, and to discuss how to work together for the best results.
Respect these 4 points
You are calm and confident. Providers, employees, and patients all need to see a leader who can calmly and confidently navigate this uncertain and difficult environment.
Communication. Communicate clearly and explain the big picture. Employees need to understand why and how they are being taken. Poorly communicated and impulsive plans can cause stress in your team, which will lead to unhappy employees and eventually, another job.
Collaboration. Collaboration is one of the most important skills a manager should have. This was demonstrated again by the pandemic. This was the moment when all the team members and their ability to work together to make it through the crisis were tested.
Compassion. In today’s world, compassion is a vital quality. Any manager working in hospitals or clinics should think about the needs of patients and employees. You must be mindful of how fast your team can change in a world where so many people are dependent on you. There are differences between what you want employees to do and what they can accomplish, especially in times of increased stress, fatigue, and unpredicted changes. Effective leadership requires compassion in times of crisis.
Encourage team communication
Good managers not only communicate effectively but encourage others to voice their opinions. Many employees feel that their ideas could make a difference in the lives of others. It is also a great way to feel happy and fulfilled at work. While this is not possible in recent years, it is important to maintain a light tone and allow for jokes, relaxed conversations, and laughter to improve staff morale.
Reward employees
Employees’ motivation tends to drop during times of crisis. This can also be seen in their efficiency. You want to have a team that is motivated and can persevere through difficult times. Employees who show commitment should be rewarded. Employees should feel appreciated and that overtime is paid. Show your appreciation by giving them financial bonuses, meals out, or a moment of appreciation at a meeting.
Be predictable.
It’s crucial to provide predictability for your employees as a leader. Transparency is key. Tell employees there will not be any layoffs and give them advance notice of changes to shifts or schedules. This will help them focus on the task at hand and not on other worries. A good leader keeps his promises.
Learn from others.
Highly skilled and dedicated managers are the key to modern, efficient hospitals. Learn from experienced managers in your field.
Careful where to look
According to studies, nearly half of employees leave because of the conduct of their managers. An organization’s most valuable resource is its employees. It can only be as good as the people who work there. These values are your responsibility as leaders.
Here are some tips that will help you avoid being the reason people leave your clinic.
Avoid the authoritarian style
Autocratic leadership can be defined as a style of leadership in which one person controls all decisions and disregards the suggestions of others. This leadership style allows managers and employees to take quick decisions, but they don’t know what to expect from their workers. This is one of the worst management styles. Employees feel overwhelmed and the environment seems very rigid.
Autocratic managers are also known for imposing their vision on their employees without trying to explain it to them. This can lead to disengagement, hostility and even staff turnover. You can make quick decisions in crisis situations if you feel the need. However, you should explain your thinking process to the team to avoid being a bad leader. Authoritarian leadership can also lead to increased absenteism and staff turnover. While authoritarian leadership is sometimes necessary to quickly respond to crises, it can be detrimental in the long-term.
2. If you choose the laissez-faire style of leadership (delegative), be careful
The delegative leadership style is at the opposite pole. This allows the manager to let the team lead the work and to set their own goals, deadlines, and the steps to reach them. This style of working is effective when there is no health crisis (as is the case right now) and the team is not under pressure.
This leadership style is most effective when the team members are motivated and there is constant feedback to improve work processes. Delegative leadership has the disadvantage that it takes longer for team members agree on the strategy to be followed and is not appropriate for times of crisis. Communication is vital. We recommend that you consult your team before taking any major decisions. However, don’t delegate if you don’t have the time.
3. Leadership through transactional channels
This is the most popular style of leadership. While this approach can be effective in achieving clear goals and a high level of engagement, it is not likely to lead to a great deal of performance. Studies show that employees are less motivated to succeed at work if they have financial rewards. This leadership style can make employees unhappy and could lead them to seek only “rewards.” Balance and build team cohesion to ensure that everyone works together for the common goal and not for financial bonuses.
The COVID-19 pandemic, which has impacted millions of people and businesses worldwide, is a serious health crisis. When a crisis occurs, people react impulsively and teams test each other’s solidarity. Understanding your leadership style is crucial to be a leader in your team. You can use this challenging environment to your advantage, and with calmness and communication, you can build a team that you can trust.