People in general acquire much more respect for leaders who aren’t afraid to jump into to accomplish any task needed. This doesn’t mean you’re doing the work for them, but at those critical mo- ments when help is needed, your assis- tance could help motivate your team to reach – or even exceed – the goals set.

7. Mentor Your Team Members If you can help your members to be-

come more successful, the whole team will benefit. The more you invest into your team members, the more they will be willing to give in return.

As you lead by example in a mentor- ship role for those in your organization, others with similar skills and capabilities will follow your lead. This cultivates cur- rent and upcoming leaders to develop a mindset of helping others succeed.

8. Bond Through a Social Cause To lead a team effectively, you need

to be a part of the team. Start a new so-

cial cause as a team-building activity and make sure you lead the way. To add even more lift to your leader- ship, adopt a charity to support within your local community and get away from the office where you can get to know your team members on a more personal level.

9. Let Your Team See You Learn Leaders are learners. Let your team ob-

serve you reading a book or a trade publi- cation in the break room, and encourage them to do the same. You could also start an optional book club focused on self-improvement and leadership books where you can discuss how those books have made an impact on you, and how they helped change the way you lead.

10. Keep Meetings Short Everyone generally has a list of tasks

and duties that take up their entire work- day. Although necessary, meetings can be seen as disruptive and non-productive,

especially if nothing was essentially ac- complished.

Meetings should have a specific pur- pose and agenda that involves everyone in the room. The more you respect the time of your team, the more they will re- spect you as a leader.

Improving your capacity to lead is something that will take intentional ef- fort, and these tips will help you focus in on what matters most. Your attention to detail is sure to be rewarded in the form of enhanced loyalty, higher respect, and increase the success of you, your team, and the overall organization.

Elizabeth McCormick is a speaker specializing in Leadership, Sales and Safety presentations. She was recently named #4 on the list of Leadership Experts to Follow Online. A former U.S. Army

Black Hawk Pilot, and author of The P.I.L.O.T. Method: The 5 Elemental Truths to Leading Yourself in Life, McCormick teaches instantly applicable strategies to boost your employees’ confidence in their own leadership abilities. For more information, please visit: www.YourInspirationalSpeaker.com.

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING • March-April 2018

25