Good management includes good leadership skills

Great managers are also great leaders. They lead employees in their day-to-day work as well as inspire employees or those they work with toward larger goals or projects.

I think leadership is easy to talk about but harder to practice. Here are a couple of suggestions on how to be a better leader:

Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty: A good leader is not afraid to get down in the trenches and work alongside their fellow co-workers or employees. They don’t give advice from “on high” without understanding the day-to-day problems with the job and without demonstrating that they have the skill and knowledge to back up their advice. In addition, working alongside your coworkers builds a sense of camaraderie that cannot be undervalued.

Communicate your expectations: So many times, leaders jump into problem solving when an issue occurs. However, once an issue has been solved, it is important to dialogue with the employees to understand how the problem occurred and how the problem can be avoided in the future. I would say 100 percent of employees will repeat a mistake if you do not bring it to their attention and discuss a practical solution to the problem.

Develop and maintain trust: Employees are more likely to address problems or concerns with a manager they trust and can depend on. Being open and transparent can certainly help build that trust. Delivering on promises and meeting expectations also is important. For example, if a manager says they have an open door policy, but never makes time to address employee concerns, employees will assume that manager is someone who pays lip service to a problem but may not trust him or her to take action.

Give credit where credit due: If an employee was part of a success, acknowledge them. It is simple, but effective. Acknowledgments demonstrate a commitment to rewarding excellence as well as an interest in each employee’s individual success.

If you would like more information on leadership training and development, please contact an employment lawyer of your choice.

This story was originally published April 26, 2016 at 4:42 PM with the headline "Good management includes good leadership skills."