Businesses require strong leadership to progress and thrive. Leaders serve as beacons of light in their companies, helping employees navigate through challenging times and guiding them on the path to success. There are plenty of things that can be said about the relationship that leaders establish with team members and how they contribute to their development and the evolution of the company. But among the many attributes of a great leader, the ability to teach and pass knowledge onto others stands out as one of their most defining qualities.
The idea of leaders as teachers is not new. However, many employees and even leaders themselves are often confused about how this applies in a real-world business environment since it’s certainly not the same as being a regular teacher. A leader teacher won’t sit at a desk in front of a classroom, giving lessons in chemistry or other subjects while everyone is taking notes. So, let’s see what it takes for truly exceptional professionals to act as teachers and make a positive difference in their organisations.
Going beyond conventional manager-employee interactions
While many individuals in leadership positions dedicate a considerable chunk of their time to training and guiding others, they often limit themselves to standard teaching practices like holding training sessions, providing feedback, explaining their duties and responsibilities, helping them understand job requirements, offering career advice, reinforcing company standards and policies, and so on.
Whereas with brilliant leaders who have distinguished themselves in their lines of work, the way they teach happens more organically and goes beyond the confines of formal training and coaching situations. These leaders make teaching a top priority, and it almost comes naturally to them to use the wisdom they’ve acquired to help others grow as well. Their capacity and willingness to impart knowledge and share what they’ve learned with the people around them is what sets them apart from average managers who only concern themselves with checking boxes off their to-do lists.
True leaders think out of the box, are ready to adapt and improvise and seize every opportunity they get to deliver valuable lessons to those who need most. Their teaching habits and techniques, which are not necessarily innate and can be embraced by everyone, empower their team members to unleash their full potential and achieve remarkable results.
Game-changing lessons
Outstanding leaders don’t waste their time providing redundant information or talk about random topics that bring no real benefits to their staff just to boast about their expertise. They know exactly what kind of support their employees require to advance in their careers and that allows them to focus on lessons that are relevant and necessary.
One aspect that many skilled leaders tend to focus on when offering advice and guidance is professionalism. This is a rather broad concept that many employees might struggle to grasp, so having a leader’s insight can be extremely helpful. Leaders can teach employees how to conduct themselves in different work settings and situations to achieve their desired goals. They can also shed light on the importance of upholding strong values and standards in their professional activities, like integrity and credibility, and offer relevant examples in this respect.
Leaders should also be familiarised with the inner workings of their companies, down to the very last detail. Unlike most managers who can only offer general advice and leave basic instruction to their subordinates, great leaders possess extensive knowledge and experience in their field of work and are not afraid to roll out their sleeves and demonstrate how things should be done. They know what goes into completing a job successfully and are able to describe the nitty-gritty of execution, so their lessons are not purely theoretical but also practical.
However, a leader’s lessons are not limited to conveying technical knowledge and skills or talking strictly about work-related matters. While some may view this as stretching professional boundaries, employees often find it supportive and beneficial when their managers also include life tips and pearls of wisdom in their lessons, as these can have a profound impact on their perspectives and behaviour.
Getting the timing right
It’s not just the topics that leaders address in their lessons that matter, but also the timing of these lessons. Obviously, the best time for managers to teach and share valuable information is when employees are actively engaged in their daily tasks. That’s the reason many leaders choose to have open-plan offices instead of cubicles or more restrictive designs, so they can encourage collaboration and spend more time among employees, constantly giving out advice, suggestions and recommendations in a natural and spontaneous way.
Speaking of spontaneity, great leaders don’t wait for the ideal teaching opportunity to arise. They are proactive and create these opportunities by taking the time to have one-on-one conversations with employees when necessary, exploring diverse training environments, or taking their team members off-site to help them develop key skills and abilities.
Effective teaching techniques
Knowing what teaching strategies bring the best results is another aspect that exceptional leaders have come to master. They don’t preach perched on a pedestal in a one-way communication approach, nor do they overwhelm employees with more information than they can process. Instead, they employ more subtle methods that involve personalised teaching, open communication and interactive training sessions.
When experienced leaders teach, they make sure to take the specific needs and learning requirements of their employees into account and craft customised experiences that have lasting effects. They also take the opportunity to learn more about their employees and expand their own knowledge by asking and answering questions while teaching.
Most importantly, leaders are also aware of their limitations and admit when a certain situation or problem goes beyond their skills. They don’t fall into the trap of thinking they hold the answer to all questions, and that allows them to seek specialised assistance when needed.
Through the lessons they share, leaders can become great teachers and steer their organisations and the people who work for them in the right direction, opening the door to sustainable development.
