A wise mentor and inspirer or a tough supervisor - what should a good department head be like?

According to statistics, only 4 out of 10 people appointed to leadership positions can successfully realize themselves in this role. And this is not surprising, because often a newly-made "chef" has to rush between the desire to be kind and understanding, to establish warm relations with subordinates and the need to bear responsibility, work for results and guide everyone else. In fact, becoming a truly good and wise leader is not it's so difficult. And change must begin with yourself and your way of thinking. So how do you become a good leader?

5 mindsets you need to free your mind from

1. “I am a young leader…”
   “... that's why I can't set up a workflow”, “... that's why my subordinates don't listen to me” - and so on ad infinitum. Such a "legal alibi" will slow down your development as a leader for a long time. Be hard on yourself. Learn right away: read, attend trainings, communicate with more experienced people, but never try to justify your mistakes with this phrase.
2. "I can't demand anything from people"
   You can. And they should. This does not mean that you should, with a flushed face and foam at the mouth, yell at everyone who decides to give themselves a little break and drink tea in the middle of the working day. But don't forget that when they got a job, these people agreed to do their job. job description- a certain list of actions for which they receive money. So what's wrong with demanding compliance with the contract?
3. “I got the desired position, now you can relax”
   People who are captured by such thoughts very quickly lose interest in work and let everything take its course. But tell me - what will prevent your leadership from finding someone else to take your place? New position- this is just the start. Always strive for more - then there will be no reason to relax.
4. "I must demand unquestioning obedience"
   When thinking about how a leader should behave, remember that a despotic and always dissatisfied boss is unlikely to please the team, which can even reduce the efficiency of the company. You must understand that your subordinates are living people, with their own interests, goals, dreams and desires. It is in your power to make the work interesting and enjoyable for everyone, so that everyone feels how important his contribution is, and realizes that working for common purpose beneficial to him personally.
5. "I know everything myself"
   Not all and not always. Accept it and learn to just enjoy working in a team. After all, listening to other people's ideas, analyzing them together, teaching each other something new is very exciting! Be open to fresh ideas, criticism, and alternative perspectives, and you can not only improve relationships with subordinates, but also achieve incredible performance.

You can buy from an employee the time that he will spend at work, you can even buy a certain amount of mechanical professional movements ... but you can’t buy a “sparkle”, enthusiasm, initiative, dedication - but you, as a leader, can “charge” your subordinates with this.

If you are a department head

• How to become a good boss in a new place? First of all, try to study at least a little the team with which you work. Knowing the desires and goals of your subordinates, you will understand how to motivate them and give them an incentive to work much faster and more efficiently.
• Be honest and always keep your word. Yes, you can manipulate people on lies and tricks for some time, but sooner or later they will simply lose respect for you - and after that there can be no talk of good, much less excellent results.
• Always<давайте возможность проявить инициативу. Многие вещи рядовые сотрудники умеют и понимают намного лучше вас – так что именно от них, а не «сверху», вы получите самые ценные и полезные идеи.
• Do not turn your office into an "impregnable fortress", try to behave more simply with your subordinates - communicate, listen to their complaints, be ready to help and explain incomprehensible moments, solve emerging problems together. Only a bilateral dialogue will help to find "common ground" and start working together for a common result.
• Even if one of your employees was guilty, made a mistake - do not arrange public executions. You must behave with restraint and adequately. Call the “fine person” to your office, talk, find out the reasons for the situation, if necessary, apply an adequate punishment, but do not shout or humiliate the person surrounded by his colleagues.
• Remember that, unlike punishment, encouragement, on the contrary, should be loud and noticeable. Praise your subordinates, congratulate them on significant dates, address them by name, give small souvenirs, arrange "forays" into nature for the whole team.
• Do not do their work for your employees, but do not sit idle. The boss is not ashamed to work - ashamed to fall apart in a chair and do nothing at all. When distributing responsibilities, always find a useful and important thing for yourself.
• Never be afraid to lose your position. Often, under the influence of this fear, people begin to interfere with the development of employees, grow both professionally and personally, "put a spoke in the wheel", etc. Remember: everything you do comes back to you. And if it is under your leadership that people begin to achieve great success, your bosses will see that you are working in your place, and certainly will not want to change this.

Authoritarianism: how it differs and where it is needed

Are you uncompromising, control-oriented, result-oriented without any excuses? Most likely you are looking for:

• State structures, incl. power.
• Security companies and security services of large companies.
• Collectives prone to passivity, disorganization, internal conflicts, sabotage.
• The business is in danger of collapse or bankruptcy.

Social and psychological trainings, career consultations are very useful. You will learn to trust subordinates more and delegate some of your authority to them.

Liberalism: what a gentle person is capable of

It is believed that a liberal is a bad manager. He is too human or carefree, prone to connivance. Instead, the informal leaders of the collective rule. They create conflicting groupings, which affects the results of work.

How to become a good leader with softness of character?

Find the most ambitious person on the team. Make him your deputy or adviser. It will help create an effective management structure and influence employees.

"Kind director - strict deputy" is one of the most effective management models. You will become an outlet for workers, and your assistant will be a disciplining factor.

Democracy: myth or reality?

Democrat in leadership position:

• initiative, responsible;
• creative approach to work;
• knows how to negotiate and convince;
• helps to develop ways to achieve the goal.

A democratic manager is expected in teams with a high level of development. Each employee is conscious, well motivated, not afraid to prove himself, to substantiate his point of view. High competence is combined with excellent communication skills.

The perfect picture? Realists will smile, and they will be absolutely right. In fact, you need to master all three management styles.

If you are thinking about how to become an effective leader, then it is time for you to master the skills of situational management. Then your market value will be very high.

How to build a career for a leadership position?

Start by taking control of your own life. It is important to set tasks for yourself, outline the paths to them, allocate time and form a useful social circle. Plan your development so that you are ready for the next step on the career ladder.

Consult with those who have already achieved success and are ready to provide you with professional assistance. will help you plan your managerial career, offer effective methods to achieve your goals.

It is difficult for a woman to become a good leader, because society remains a hostage to the stereotype that a woman is a mother, mistress and keeper of the hearth, but not a boss. To break the stereotype, you need an accurate calculation, psychological techniques and attention to subordinates will come in handy.

Why is a leader rarely good?

Managing people is a complex process that rarely anyone manages to be 100% successful. Some keep subordinates in fear, others allow you to sit on your head, just to remain in the eyes of the team on top. Such extremes do not give the main thing - authority and respect.

Often the reason for the failure of the boss is:

• exorbitant ambitions;
• extreme exactingness that does not correspond to the capabilities of subordinates;
• rudeness in communication, unreasonable aggression;
• extreme gentleness and kindness;
• indifference;
• desire to please everyone.

The leader must get rid of the above shortcomings. This is the first step to success, but to become a really good boss you have to try. It is important to win the sympathy of the team. It will be much more difficult for a woman to do this than for a man, because in the team they are skeptical about the boss, the leader, especially the newly appointed one. It is necessary to fight for the respect and diligence of subordinates. Therefore, it is important to win the sympathy of people - this is half the success and a powerful foundation for further progress towards gaining authority and respect, as well as a powerful incentive in striving to become a good boss for a woman.

The girl, by her psycho-emotional nature, is impulsive and guides her feelings when solving problems, questions, problems in life and at work. Therefore, at the first failures, he begins to get nervous and seek support. The leader cannot afford such weaknesses; he must become a reinforced concrete support for his subordinates.

Reassure, strike up a casual conversation and unobtrusively help solve a difficult situation: make the right call, give practical advice - this is a win-win technique aimed at achieving a result. But it is not necessary to do the work for subordinates in full.

A female boss should not be a source of aggression and negative emotions, but excessive softness will not help either. In the team they will immediately begin to say that the leader is boorish or a spineless creature who can sit on his head. The offended employee will be the impetus for such conversations.

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It is necessary to have the ability to listen, to be even, friendly, polite. But at the same time, in matters of principle, one should take a tough stance and defend one's opinion.

Attention! A woman is especially prone to borderline states, she quickly loses her temper or, on the contrary, falls into apathy. Psychological training will help to avoid this. Sports, yoga and communication with men. At the same time, it is necessary to notice their behavioral characteristics and take all the best of them into service.

The leader must listen to his subordinates. This will bring practical benefits to him and allow him to take a step towards "becoming good." It is necessary to take into account the opinion of the team in everyday matters, as well as to solve production problems.

A woman is an excellent tactician while a man has strategic planning skills. This combination makes it possible to achieve excellent results in terms of solving work tasks. Therefore, a woman leader must learn to analyze the situation and make thoughtful, balanced decisions without emotions and subjectivity.

A good technique for gaining authority among the female part of the team is congratulations on the holidays. These can be birthdays, events in the personal life of employees, as well as state celebrations. Small gifts don't hurt. This will show that the leader pays attention to the team. It will not be superfluous to be interested in the health of employees.

Attention! Attention should be paid to everyone equally, the selection of favorites will lead to the appearance of rumors, rumors and does not contribute to the growth of the authority of the boss.

To become a respected leader, it is necessary to show competence - the ability to solve organizational and production issues. It is a gross mistake to blame subordinates for all the work and demand the solution of tasks that are not up to them and not in rank. With this approach, becoming a good leader will not work, even with the implementation of other recommendations.

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You can not indulge the whims of subordinates. You should behave kindly, but emphasized strictly. Excessive softness will lead to the fact that the team will simply ignore the leader. The team especially acutely feels the weakness of the leader, especially if it is a woman. A moment of weakness can turn into a disaster and the need to change jobs. Therefore, all actions must be carefully thought out and weighed.

Discipline must be required. If necessary, penalties can be applied, the main thing is that they are for the cause and do not go beyond what is permitted. Here tyranny must be completely excluded.

The ability to resolve domestic disputes, as well as conflicts related to work, will help in gaining authority and gaining respect. It does not hurt to take psychological tricks into service. Their source can be a book, a scientific work of an authoritative practitioner. Such knowledge is relevant, since a woman, due to her emotionality, is prone to impulsive decisions, which in reality will be erroneous. A leader who makes wise Solomonic decisions, who knows how to gently and effectively breed conflict situations, becomes loved and respected. They will say about her that she is smart, which is very important for a woman, strict and fair. This is success.

Attention! It is necessary to behave “correctly” immediately after appointment. These techniques are also relevant in a new company to win the sympathy of new acquaintances or when spending time with subordinates in an informal setting, for example, at a corporate party.

To be a good leader, you need to know what qualities you need to have and which ones to get rid of! Life advice with examples here.

Well, not all people can become bosses.

Those who can often do not want to take responsibility and become the object of hatred of the collective.

But those who passionately thirst for power are sometimes too stupid and lazy to cope with the tasks.

This vicious circle is broken by people about whom their subordinates say: “I have a great boss!”, causing the sincere envy of others.

If you nevertheless set out to conquer the career Olympus, then I hope that you will think, first of all, about how to become a good leader, and not how to quickly climb to the top, not really straining at the same time!

Can everyone be a good leader?

The main mistake of people who seek to sit in the director's chair is that they simply do not understand: a leader is, first of all, an effective manager.

He does not have to be a super-duper specialist in all areas.

His tasks:

• organize the work of the team so that employees with a narrow specialty can work effectively without needing anything;
• solve any organizational problems.

For example, if we are talking about the editor-in-chief of a newspaper, then the head is not required to write texts virtuoso (although he probably worked as a simple journalist in the past), take unique photographs, create layouts in 5 minutes, own all mental and non-mental computer programs, and at the same time - and in five minutes to be able to fix office equipment.

• must know what text and photo illustrations the reader needs in order for the publication to be popular;
• provide their employees with everything they need, from office supplies to company vehicles;
• to establish a normal microclimate in the team.
• be able to negotiate the most difficult interview;
• know where and whom to call to fix a burst pipe or a broken printer;
• protect their subordinates from dissatisfied with the publications of government officials, ordinary readers, etc.;
• make payments on time;

How to become a good boss: is it difficult?

Many ambitious careerists do not think about whether they can manage.

They just want power and a big salary, comforting themselves with the thought: "Ay, then I'll learn everything I need."

Of course, a reasonable person can learn a lot and in a fairly short time, even bears are taught to ride a bicycle in the circus, but you need to have the necessary character traits, or at least be ready to develop them.

I think before thinking how to be a good boss, you need to soberly assess your set of personal qualities and character flaws.

“The potential of a person as a leader depends on his ability to change. Perhaps this is the most difficult thing in life: change is always scary. But in a constantly changing business, change is necessary. The manager must encourage his employees, try innovations and take risks - in whatever area he works ... Another necessary quality of a good leader is to give his employees full responsibility for what they do. This is possible and necessary if you managed to find strong professionals. You must let them make their own decisions. I believe in supporting them as much as possible and interfering in their work as little as possible.”

A. Kalter

An excellent director should be:

• smart;
• responsible;
• know the basics;
• mentally stable;
• punctual;
• be able to overcome your fears;
• compulsory;
• humane;
• succeed in everything;
• attentive;
• bold;
• easily trained;
• active;

A great director should get rid of such qualities as:

• laziness;
• quarrelsomeness;
• pettiness;
• authoritarianism;
• stupidity;
• disorganization;
• revenge;
• indifference.

Naturally, these are far from all the qualities that should be present / absent from a class chef, but you should start with them.

8 tips with life examples on how to become a good leader

A friend loves her work, but she hates her boss with all the fibers of her soul and the whole team in this “bright” feeling is in solidarity with her.

Using her example, I will tell you about the main mistakes that will never allow you to be a good leader:

Reluctance to stress.

Being 30 years younger, Olga Semyonovna spent a lot of time on the robot, managed to do everything, always had dozens of interesting ideas, etc.

But with her retirement, it probably seemed to her that she had already done everything she could, and now her reputation and experience should work for her.

Now she mostly does her own thing at work, comes and goes as she pleases, never stays late, even when the work process is in full swing.

It is clear that the girls are outraged: the aunt receives a good salary with many allowances, including for the director's position, but does not want to do anything at all.

Complete irresponsibility and the desire to blame their work on others.

As for me, the director is the one who first rushes to the embrasure and effectively solves all the questions and problems that have arisen. That's what he gets paid for.

Olga Semyonovna, on the other hand, believes that it is her business to sit out a few hours at work.

Here, for example, it happened on Saturday (the organization of a friend works seven days a week) in the wiring circuit.

It's pointless to call the boss.

All that can be heard from her is: “well, you come on, call so-and-so.”

But this should not be done by girls, but by the director or his deputy, even remotely.

Failure to value employees.


Olga Semyonovna does not consider it necessary to encourage her subordinates even with praise.

I'm talking about some kind of material reward.

Everything is taken for granted. But about her non-existent successes, she spreads for a long time and with pleasure.

Inability to organize work.

Do you know what the unfortunate boss's favorite phrase is? “Oh, such a heat (in the sense of steam)!”.

And this heat is only in her head. For some reason, girls don’t have “heat” even on the most difficult days.

They do the job easily and with pleasure.

Unwillingness to improve their skills.

The boss, of course, knows something, but all this knowledge dates back to the period of her youth.

But she masterfully mastered the art of pretending to be a valuable worker.

Taking credit for others' merit.
I believe that the abuse of the pronouns "we" or "they" is simply a crime.

If one of the employees did an excellent job, then Olga Semyonovna, reporting to her superiors, always says: "We."

But if she took part in at least some completed work, then it always sounds: “I”.

Team insecurity.

Olga Semyonovna will never protect girls from attacks (even undeserved ones) from higher authorities, government officials, and idiot visitors.

Naturally, everyone knows about it and enjoys using it.

Even an eternally drunk plumber should be forced to work independently by employees.

Hatred for subordinates.

In the case of Olga Semyonovna, this is hostility towards her employees because they are young and have full-fledged families, unlike her.

But the reasons may be different.

The considered example of a disgusting boss is more typical for state institutions - they still cherish all Soviet traditions, but I think you understand the meaning.

Do you want to be a good leader?

I offer a mini-instruction for all higher! 😉

Take advantage of your health and motivate your subordinates.

P.S. This is important!

So, sir, to become a good leader, you need to work all your life, and not so much on your professional qualities, as much on your personal ones.

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How often do you meet a good leader? Why are some leaders universally respected, while others are simply disliked or even hated? There are a number of secrets, having mastered which an ordinary head of a department can become a successful and respected leader.

"We are one"

An effective leader is often described as a person who can show his subordinates the right goal and coordinate actions towards it. A wise saying says: "A leader is someone who is able to lift us up, give us a goal, a dream and the strength to go towards it." A smart leader helps people feel like an important part of the whole team, necessary and indispensable in moving forward towards a common goal.

What to do: Be close to the team. Encourage, inspire, invite. Appeal to your subordinates' sense of self-importance. But don't get too familiar with them. The leader must have authority.

"I am a speaker"

Team management requires setting goals and objectives, as well as their correct communication to subordinates. The leader must have developed communication skills to maintain constant communication and fruitful interaction with employees. This requires openness and directness. The leader must be skilled in negotiation, oratory and have the ability to persuade. Due to effective communication, he can support both the entire team at once, and its individual links represented by employees.

What to do: Communicate, communicate and communicate again. Learn to see and understand the interlocutor. Get a training to develop your communication skills.

"I accept responsibility"

One of the most important things that a leader must remember is his responsibility for the path along which he leads the team. A wise leader is very conscious of morality and responsibility. As a leader, he is also a role model.

Therefore, he is fully aware of the responsibility for those moral and ethical standards that he introduces into the team. Leadership based on honesty is a set of concepts and rules that gradually enters the team and then determines the entire structure of the relationship between its members. If the leader pursues his own interests, then this only worsens the interaction with subordinates, who will soon adopt the behavioral model of their boss as their own.

What to do: Imagine that your subordinates are your children. Always build on this notion.

"Enthusiasm is our strength"

Everything is simple and clear here - we do not like leaders who are not interested in what they are doing. We need leaders with enthusiasm and a pragmatic approach to the problems being solved. We want to feel like participants in an exciting journey, not clerks mired in office routine. An energetic leader achieves goals through his enthusiasm and optimism. He must carry confidence with him and be able to charge the whole team with it. Enthusiasm is "contagious" and a smart leader knows it.

What to do: Show your subordinates that you put your whole soul into the work. Infect them with a bright idea. Give them interesting tasks. And if the task does not look interesting, then think about how to make it interesting.

"I see you as a person"

How is empathy different from sympathy? Although these words are similar, they mean different concepts. Sympathy implies the presence of benevolent feelings towards an object, and has little to do with the experience and reality of a particular individual*.

Empathy, on the contrary, implies the existence of an object as a separate individual with its own reality, thoughts and emotional component. In other words, empathy is intelligent empathy. As one clerk put it: "It's good when a leader understands that each of his subordinates also has a life outside the office."

What to do: Get better. If you have always assumed that most people are ordinary and primitive creatures who only need to watch TV and have fun, then you will not be able to be a leader. To become one, you need to change your views. Subordinates should feel kindness and care in your every word or action.

"Do they trust me?"

Subordinates must trust the leader in what he does. It is clear that the team does not delve into the specifics of doing business and other subtleties, but it must see in its leader a person who is really capable of overcoming difficulties, setting tasks and solving them as efficiently as possible. A leader must have the ability to inspire, overcome, help, and encourage. Without these qualities, he simply will not be able to lead the team. And only such a leader will have sufficient competence, which will allow him to manage his subordinates as efficiently as possible.

What to do: Ask yourself how the team sees you? Are you afraid or loved? If this question confuses you, contact a staff psychologist. He will conduct a study of the team, and you will be able to build further interaction with subordinates, based on his results.

"A good leader is always a little lazy"

Too individualistic leaders, unable to trust people, often simply lose their authority in the place of a leader. Their distrust leads to the fact that they do all the work to which the team could be involved, which cannot positively affect the speed and success of solving problems. As one office worker said, "A good leader is always a little lazy." Interesting look!

What to do: Give employees room to make mistakes. Do not deprive your subordinates of the chance to "sit in a puddle." A child will never learn to walk unless he falls. Stop controlling every step of your employees. This will only teach them to be responsible for their work. Give them tasks and encourage them.

"We can't handle stress"

Under ideal conditions, it is easy to meet deadlines and turn in work on time. However, practice shows that unexpected difficulties often arise at a time when we do not expect them. This is what is called a stressful situation. A good leader knows how to build the work of the team in such a period. He also knows that a lot depends on his endurance and self-control.

Subordinates should see him as a confident, strong and strong-willed leader, able to cope with any problem. Of course, the leader can also worry and worry, nothing human is alien to him, but it will be better if his subordinates do not see this.

What to do: Don't let work control you, remember there is a time for everything. Be sure to dine and allow yourself the luxury of a good rest. Reasonably distribute forces and plan work.

"We are a team"

A good leader is a strong personality capable of rallying the team and leading it towards the goal. But in order to turn a group of people into a team of like-minded people, the leader must know the mechanisms for rallying people and be able to manage them correctly. In addition, his leadership style should be flexible, suitable for a particular stage of development of the team. Understanding, flexibility and professionalism are the key to the successful transformation of a group of employees into a strong and cohesive team.

What to do: arrange a corporate "hangout", organize a trip for the whole team to go bowling or paintball, or just conduct a team building training. The results will not be long in coming.

"I know what and how to do"

Solutions must be fresh, creative and effective. Practicality, combined with flexibility, will give the necessary formula for solving any, even the most complex tasks on the way to moving the team towards the goal.

What to do: Work and work on yourself again. Remember, your best adviser is your experience.