How you can be a better leader this year
Almost every business owner has been through an incredibly tough time over the last couple of years. But as we head into spring, there are signs that we have turned a corner, with experts predicting that global markets will bounce back this year.
We are thinking about the ways in which we can continue to prioritise flexibility. We are thinking about how we can take advantage of the incredible leaps in technology that have been taken in the last couple of years. And we are thinking about how we can finally put some of the plans into action that we were forced to put on ice back in 2020. It remains to see how the government’s plans for levelling up will impact businesses. If we are going to take more decisive steps forward in the months ahead, we all need to be thinking about the best ways that we can lead our companies and our teams forward. Here are a few ways that you can be a better manager this year.
Look at your performance from a distance
When we are busy and stressed, it can be hard to gain a sense of perspective on the situation at hand. Most of us will have spent the last couple of years figuring out how to solve problems and how to keep our heads above water until we can breathe a little easier. We often don’t have the time to take a step back and reflect on our performance.
Now that there is a bit more breathing room, one of the most important things that any leader can do is to do a deep dive audit of how they and their company has performed. Look at how your business responded to challenges. Look at how you responded to new opportunities. Be honest about your failings, because there are always going to be some, but look at where you excelled too. You will see new paths forward when you look back.
Harness your data
Taking a deep dive into your organisations’ performance and customer data will give you a very good idea of what decisions you should be making going forward. Data analysis is a core component of any successful business, but there are many managers and entrepreneurs out there who do not really know what they are looking for. They either dismiss the data entirely, or commission external experts to do this job for them.
If you want to become a better leader in your business, this is an area that you should focus on. A data analysis course can help you get to grips with both the theoretical knowledge behind data analytics and the practical skills you need to draw insight from it. If you are interested in a data analysis for management online certificate course, you can learn more via the London School of Economics and Political Science’s website. LSE has a wide range of courses to help you build your professional and managerial skills set.
Work on your people skills
Anyone who ran a business over the last couple of years will have faced a series of incredibly difficult challenges when it comes to looking after the wellbeing of their employees. We have all had to learn a lot about mental health and how we can support the needs of the people we work with. We have had to figure out how to accommodate flexible working to allow everyone to work from home and juggle a myriad of other commitments.
As we look ahead to the next several months, it is important to remember that many will still be facing ongoing challenges. We are going to be seeing a staggering rise in the cost of living. Coupled with this, employees are still going to be faced with the challenge of balancing personal and professional commitments, leading many to feel like they are pushed to their limits. We have seen that many have taken this as an opportunity to rethink their careers. If you want to retain your talent, you need to show them that they are important and that they are supported. Think about how you can incentivise your employees to stay and develop their skills by offering opportunities for growth and skills development. Discuss alternative benefits packages with them. You should also think about what broader issues they may be concerned about, such as climate change, and what you can do to address them.