14 Essential Things Your Team Craves From You: Guide to Mastering Effective Leadership

Teams demand a lot from their leaders. And a lot of leaders get it wrong.

Understanding what your team wants will guide the actions and strategies of the best leaders.

Here are the 14 things that your team wants from you:

1. Follow through - Its easy to get spread thin as a leader with 100 things to do; dont make empty promises when you dont have the bandwidth to commit

2. Clarity and conviction - Have a clear vision and stick with it

3. Trust and integrity - Your agenda is clear and your team understands the “why” behind your decisions

4. Dont sugar coat it - Deliver bad news, dont hide behind fake positivity

5. Invest in team growth - Dont just talk about it, put your money where your mouth is and subsidize books, certifications, peer groups, conferences, online courses, mentorship programs

6. Inspiration and energy - Its not enough to do the work, you have to be a source of motivation

7. Authentic appreciation - Notice and praise specific efforts and accomplishments, not general sweeping praise

8. Respect work-life balance - Dont email your team on Saturday; saying “you dont need to respond till Monday” contradicts your actions

9. Lead by example - Show your team what to do; you cant dictate loyalty, results, or passion

10. Deep understanding - Prioritize understanding first, before you jump in with advice or direction

11. Ownership - In failure you demonstrate ownership, in success you share credit

12. Invest in their professional development - Not one who treats growth as an afterthought

13. Clear and direct feedback - Be specific with what you want, and how to get there; “not good enough” is not good enough when youre a leader

14. Listen - Your job as a leader isnt to talk in every meeting, show your team you can listen and they will grow

Understanding and acting on these 14 points isnt just good for your team; its essential for your growth as a leader.

What would you add to this list?