Leadership: Encouragement and Enablement

I believe solid, effective leadership must include encouragement, enablement, and timely, frequent feedback.

Create an open, encouraging environment.

• Help your team members to feel comfortable speaking up and suggesting solutions and alternatives.

Enable your team.

• Give your team members access to what they need to succeed, such as training, software, or time to discuss projects.
• Let them know they can always come to you with ideas, proposals, concerns, or questions.

Provide timely, frequent feedback.

• Don’t hold back with the positive feedback when team members do things that work well and have a positive impact.
• If you need to deliver negative feedback:
  • Tell the team members as soon as possible after the event that generated the negative feedback.
  • Let them know the reason for the feedback and concrete, specific steps they can take to improve.

I’ve found that working with leaders who provide these things have helped me to be my best, most productive work self. When I’ve been in leadership-adjacent positions, I’ve tried to provide these things for my teammates. I’m sure my thoughts on effective leadership will evolve as I work with different people and experience different leadership styles.