Your employees dread talking to you, and your star performers are finding ways to cut corners. It's not their attitudes that have changed. Chances are, it's your leadership style. If you're not the type of leader your team is happy to work for, it's time to make a change.
That's why we asked 12 successful entrepreneurs from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following question:
Q. What’s one tell-tale sign that it’s time to make a change in my leadership style?
1. Things Aren't Getting Done
The only metric that matters is progress. If you're constantly hitting roadblocks with people and not making progress, then it's time to change yourself or the people around you. The easiest place to start is trying a few changes in your management style to see if it has a positive effect. Start by asking for objective feedback from your peers about the best way you can work with them. —Andy Karuza, FenSens
2. People Stop Interacting With You
People like to work and do business with people they like. When you're likable, people favor you and engage with you more often. So if you find that fewer people are reaching out, or your team isn't engaging with you beyond the bare minimum that's needed to do their job, you might want to improve your leadership habits. —Andrew Thomas, SkyBell Doorbell
3. You're Not Delegating Regularly
Leadership is knowing when someone else on your team could do something you're attempting, but better. Being confident in handing over a project and entrusting that it will get done with flying colors is core to effective leadership. —Sharam Fouladgar-Mercer, AirPR
4. You're Not Giving Enough Advice
If your employees are going to their coworkers or other members of management to ask for advice instead of coming to you, it's a sign you need to make a change in your leadership style. This shows one of two things: You're difficult to approach or your advice isn't valued by your team. Take notice of who your employees go to for questions or advice—it really does say a lot. —Dave Nevogt, Hubstaff.com
5. Your Employees No Longer Respect You
If you have to remind members of your team that you're the boss or the leader, you have a major problem on your hands. At some point, the team stopped trusting and respecting you and your decisions, meaning it's time for a shift in your leadership style. —Antonio Neves, TheAntonioNeves.com
6. People Are Quitting
People don't quit jobs, they quit managers. If people are leaving your organization in medium or large numbers, you need to evaluate your leadership style and how you're affecting others. Luckily, in the two businesses I've owned, we've lost very few people. But even when one person decides to leave, I make sure to really understand their decision and use it as a tool for development. —Mark Krassner, Expectful
7. Your Employees Aren't as Dedicated
If you no longer have volunteers willing to work overtime or cover someone who's on vacation, and deadlines that never used to be an issue are now being missed, you need to think seriously about adjusting your leadership style. —Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers
8. Your Leadership Doesn't Reflect in the Results
There are two main ways to figure out how productive you are as a leader: how you feel about the way you're leading and the results you produce as a leader. I tend to focus more on the results. Are my team members engaged? Are we producing? Is everyone working as hard as they can whether I'm involved in the project or not? Take a look at your results and you'll know how well you are leading. —Arel Moodie, Art of Likability
9. Company Morale Has Decreased
Most employees will try to get their work done, no matter what. (After all, they need to put a roof over their heads.) But when the mood and culture of your office changes, you're in trouble. Having employees who simply work for a paycheck is a sure sign of a sinking ship, and only a true leader can steer it. —Elle Kaplan, LexION Capital
10. Milestones Aren't Being Hit
A team is a collection of individuals, and the best leaders tailor their interactions to the idiosyncrasies that make us all human. It's easy to apply the wrong approach, but the best way to tell is if you aren't hitting milestones. Leadership is like putting a puzzle together—sometimes you just have to shake up the box and rearrange the pieces. —Douglas Hutchings, Picasolar
11. Your Employees Don't Open Up to You
When I'm meeting with an employee and he/she blatantly acquiesces instead of conveying his/her true thoughts regarding a decision, that's when I know self-reflection is necessary on my part. It's important to our company culture that we maintain an open-minded environment and that our employees have ownership over their projects and pride in their day-to-day work. A good leader is a good listener. —Andy Eastes, SkuVault
12. Your Star Players Are Cutting Corners
If you see your star employee suddenly cutting corners, it’s time to reassess how you're managing your team. If this does happen, try to problem-solve as soon as possible instead of ignoring it. Sitting down with your team and asking how you can improve as a leader will also help you make a positive change. —Bryanne Lawless, BLND Public Relations
