Do Your Employees See You As a Good Leader? Here’s How You Can Find Out

Right after the pandemic, many people across the US began quitting their jobs. Several reasons for this ‘big quit’ have been put forward. But a lack of leadership in the workplace is one of the more prominent ones, as pointed out on Business Management Daily. Without able leadership, businesses fail, and people end up quitting rather than working for a bad or incapable leader.

This leads us to an important question – how can one tell if they’re a good leader or not? The answer to this will be determined by the employees who work for them. That is how you, as a leader, can realize how your employees perceive you as their leader.

Socialize with Your Employees Outside Work

Take your employees outside the office or work setting and see how they socialize with you. This could be a team lunch or a quick coffee session after work. Here, notice how they tend to communicate with you. If they are fearful or are not too eager to open up, you can assume that they see you as a strict leader. If they do the opposite and open up easily, they see you as a friendly leader. 

This step, in particular, won’t give you much clarification about your professional leadership skills. However, it will give you a brief overview of how your employees perceive you as a leader in general. 

Encourage Open Communication

Perhaps the best way to see how your employees perceive your leadership skills is through open and honest communication. Here, you must create an environment where your employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, ideas, and concerns and opening up about how they truly feel about you as a leader.

Listening alone won’t help, however. You must also take the feedback seriously, and your employees have to know that you’re doing so. The best way to go about this is by taking mental or physical notes and getting back to your employees regarding how you plan on incorporating their feedback and changing your leadership style. 

It helps the employees realize that their opinions and feedback have value to you and that you, as their leader, are more than willing to work on yourself for their betterment. 

Seek and Act on Direct Feedback

Open-ended communication might not deliver you the honest feedback you were looking for. If that’s the case, you should seek direct feedback. 

Feedback is a valuable tool for personal and professional growth, and as a leader, it is essential to actively seek feedback from your employees. Conduct surveys or use other feedback mechanisms to obtain honest opinions about your leadership style, communication effectiveness, and overall performance. 

Analyze the feedback with an open mind and identify areas where you can improve. Actively address any concerns raised by your team and take visible actions to implement changes or address issues.

Consider taking a 360 feedback survey, meaning the feedback process will incorporate constructive feedback that covers both the good and the bad side of your approach to leadership. A 360-degree survey will help you receive actionable feedback, which, in turn, will allow you to later work on the feedback and show your employees that you take them seriously. 

Such surveys helped Ohio State’s Buckeye Leadership Fellows Program transform its entire curriculum, as reported on the G360 Surveys website. These surveys also helped leaders working for companies like Nissan Corporation improve themselves and their leadership capabilities. 

Observe Team Dynamics

Pay attention to the dynamics within your team to assess how your employees perceive your leadership. Look for signs of trust, collaboration, and respect among employees. Are they willingly seeking guidance or support? Do they proactively engage in problem-solving?

Observing positive team dynamics is a strong indicator that your employees trust and respect your leadership. On the other hand, if you notice a lack of engagement, frequent conflicts, or low morale, it may suggest underlying issues with your leadership style. In such cases, take the initiative to address the concerns, provide clarity, and offer support to nurture a healthier team dynamic.

Assess Employee Engagement and Retention

In an episode of The McKinsey Podcast, it was pointed out that leaders must change their leadership styles and focus more on culture and connections instead of exercising control over their employees. Employee engagement and retention rates can provide valuable insights into how your employees perceive your leadership. Employees, who can connect and engage with their leaders, are more likely to be motivated, committed, and productive, which often stems from strong leadership. 

Monitor indicators of employee engagement, such as participation in team activities, enthusiasm for projects, and overall job satisfaction. If you notice a decline in engagement levels or a high turnover rate, it may be an indication that your leadership approach needs improvement. In these situations, consider implementing strategies to boost employee morale, provide growth opportunities, and create a positive work culture.

Final Thoughts

In one of its recent articles, Forbes mentions how leadership is about influencing behavioral change. In a corporate or professional setting, this change has to do with how your leadership skills can impact the lives of those who work under or with you. Whether or not you’re a good leader is ultimately defined by how you impact the behavior and mentality of those around you, be it professionally or personally.

The best way to understand this is by trying out the suggestions discussed above. Knowing about how your employees interact with you, how open they are in front of you, whether or not they want to stick around you, etc., will help you understand where you stand as their leader. If the responses to these actions or questions are positive, rest assured that you’re indeed a good leader. If not, don’t worry, for there’s always room for improvement, even in the case of leaders.