Leading by example in team management or administrative decisions behind the scenes that staff know you’re executing on, drives greater results. One of the biggest complaints about managers is that they’re never seen getting dirty in the trenches doing the work that the rest of the employees are doing. But when managers make administrative moves that benefit the group or roll up their sleeves and work alongside staff, they have a greater belief that management has their back.
Here are a few ways leading by example works.
Greater Belief in Management
The trick with leading by example is having people see it. Not in any kind of showy way as word will surely get around. But to be present, to get to work on the task alongside everyone else and for a significant period. That means hours, not minutes in most cases, to be seen to have done enough to be one of them.
Administrative roles are a little different in this regard. They’re often behind the scenes with actions taken that other workers aren’t aware of or don’t necessarily see. In the healthcare profession, this is often the case with the Healthcare Administrator position. A lot like the decisions they’ll be making, students can study a Master of Healthcare Administration online while still working their current position and without others being aware. This administrator role affects healthcare organization policy and takes a strategic view on policy and implementation. However, while not being directly visible, the changes they make in their position are usually appreciated by nursing staff.
Following their Lead
Workers like to follow leaders that inspire them. When they get inspired by their manager, they push harder with their own work to deliver well. When leaders fail to inspire, the people under them feel let down and collectively don’t produce their best work.
Leaders need to lead. It doesn’t matter whether they have one person working with them or a large team. Human emotion is such that we get motivated by ideas as much as we do people.
Enhanced Team Work for Better Results
Team dynamics require a delicate touch at times. A little gentle encouragement and a verbal push, in private, when standards are slipping may also be required. When a manager treats the team with respect and makes it clear what level of performance is required, motivated individuals respond.
Staff need to have the right tools and space to do the job. Without the right equipment and resources, even the best staff will fail to deliver what’s needed or within the time allotted. Demanding impossibilities doesn’t win a manager any favors when they’re woefully out of touch with what’s possible for a team or an individual. Managers need to be in touch at the ground level with what issues staff are having with assignments to know when it’s a problem the manager needs to step in to resolve or is related to personal issues with staff.
Ultimately, leading by example has many benefits for staff performance. When team members are motivated, they work longer, harder and are happier doing so when they believe in the team and the company.
