Think about the various ways you help your sales team. Maybe you offer a robust onboarding program, provide ongoing coaching or host professional development seminars. Just as you help your sales reps grow and develop in their roles, you should also take time to refine your leadership skills. Teams need effective leaders now more than ever, notes Tanveer Naseer, an international leadership speaker. By improving your leadership skills, you can not only advance your career, but you can also inspire those around you to improve.

If you want to learn how to become a better leader in 2022, read on. We share Naseer’s tips in this issue of Promotional Consultant Today.

Embrace continual learning. Anyone can learn to be a better leader. Leadership skills aren’t strengths you have or don’t have — they are traits and behaviors you grow and refine over time. Even the best leaders didn’t start off with superior leadership skills right from the beginning. These leaders took time to actively work on their skills and cultivate them. You can do the same by committing to continual learning and professional development.

Look for ways to improve culture. As a leader, you can make meaningful changes that can impact your company culture. Whether you provide flexibility in when your team members work in the office or you allow your reps to adjust their working hours, the idea is to lead with compassion. Set the example that every employee is valued, says Naseer. The ones that implement inclusive and authentic ways of developing talent will be the ones that succeed.

Implement your team’s working preferences. This goes along with the tip above. Try to accommodate your sales reps’ preferences for working location and hours. As technology advances, there’s no reason people should be forced to sit in their office for the exact same hours every day, Naseer says. You can show that you’re serious about your employees’ needs by giving flexibility when possible. Remember that you can be flexible while still running a cohesive team.

Stay current with technology. Keeping up with technology such as lead intelligence and marketing automation can help your team boost productivity and reach their targets. Technology can also help your sales reps better understand their prospects and clients, and tailor their sales strategies. Naseer encourages leaders to embrace changing technologies as this will help everyone in the long run.

Emphasize empathy. The past couple of years have been difficult in many ways. Therefore, it’s important to practice empathy and compassion as a leader, notes Naseer. Consider other people’s perspectives. Think about what they may be experiencing. If one of your top-performing sales reps has a bad month, check in and see how they’re doing. Let them know it’s okay to not have an exceptional month. Remind them that they’re only human and you don’t expect them to outperform themselves every time.

There are many ways to improve your leadership this year, from putting empathy at the forefront to expanding your technology. When you decide what you want to incorporate, set aside time each month to check in on your progress.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: Tanveer Naseer is an award-winning and internationally acclaimed leadership writer, keynote speaker, leadership corporate trainer and consultant.