How Good and Bad Leadership Affects Group Interaction

How Good and Bad Leadership Affects Group Interaction
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To Understand the Task You Have to Understand the Meaning.

To fully understand how leadership affects group interaction you have to understand your responsibilities to your employees and exactly what the term leadership means.

Leadership is defined in Webster’s dictionary as the capability to lead, and lead is defined as something that ranks first.

Now, that definition is confusing right? So, how do you draw a line from what your responsibilities are to what you should not have to deal with?

Your first and biggest responsibility is your team. Your boss would have not assigned you to being in charge of a team if you could not handle the responsibility, so, embrace it. Just because you are a boss does not mean that you cannot be fun and get your job done at the same time.

Your next task is to be realistic. You as a boss want the best out of your team, but you have to realize that they are just people. While you do need to make sure that your employees are doing their job you need to step back and realize that not everyone is going to work at the same pace as you. Be patient.

Sometimes you may have to jump in and help your team if needed. That will make you a good boss and will positively affect the group interaction because without your direction and leadership skills your team may not know how to accomplish the tasks. If your team knows that you feel like you are a part of their group they are going to be willing to help you get the job done. People want to help their friends before they will their enemies.

Remember, you are a boss before you are a friend, and your job is important too. Now, that you are in a position of leadership you are going to have employees that try to get away with slacking off. The job performance of your employees is a reflection of your job capabilities. Some things are understandable while others need disciplinary action.

History Always Repeats

History has always taught us that a great leader makes the difference in winning a battle from winning a war. Without a good leader in the workplace how are we supposed to survive a day of work to years of work? It is impossible.

Not everyone is cut out to have the corner office, which is just a fact of life. Not that a boss is more important than any other employee – it is just that some people are meant to be associates while others are meant to be managers.

Even though bosses seem to have an easier job to an associate, things are not always as they seem. With a million different personalities in the world it is a boss’s job to make sure that Sally works well with Tina in the long run. If associates cannot work together a company will not be able to run on a daily basis or make that year mark.

Sadly, enough we all are not blessed with the best boss in the world. So, how do keep your job without stepping on your lazy boss’s toes?

Continue to page 2 to find out the answer to this question.

Employees View

Sometimes the guys in the big office upstairs make a mistake of whom they make a boss. How can you be sure that you have a bad boss and just not a grudge? In other words, what makes a good boss?

Good leadership affects group interactions positively when there is:

-Someone who is a good communicator. Does your boss listen to you? Are they open to suggestions or are they just a tyrant?

-Someone who does not leave you in the dark. If the company you work for makes a lot of changes on a regular basis a good boss will keep you in the loop so you do not get in trouble for not keeping up with company policies.

-Someone who gives you feedback. Does your boss let you know if you are messing up or do they just let you sink?

-Someone who does not have double standards. Does your boss let that cute co-worker or their friend have a longer break then you?

-Someone who gives you respect. Good bosses are going to understand that if they demand respect they are going to have to give you respect as well.

-Someone who can take responsibility. A good boss is someone who is going to admit that they gave you the go ahead to do your job a certain way instead of letting you take the blame.

-Someone who gives praise. You work hard you deserve to be praised every now and then.

When your boss just does not want to work and passes the responsibility to you and your team mates, how do group interactions change? It means that everyone will need to buckle down to make sure the work gets done. If your boss seems more like a slacker then a leader then maybe it is also a time for you to look out for yourself. You have worked hard to keep your job and you do not want to lose it just because your boss feels like playing on Facebook instead of getting the job done. In adjusting to new group interactions, you may need to:

-Work a little harder. We as employees never want to take on more work then what we deserve, but eventually it will be noticed that Sally the Associate is getting things done instead of Linda the Team Manager.

-DO NOT take it on yourself to do things that you are not sure about. Even if Linda is not a team player make sure you get her approval on that big project that way you are covered in the long run.

-Even if you are working harder do not take on too much. If Linda is pushing all of her responsibilities to you it may be a good idea to make a visit to your HR office, because you do not deserve to be overworked.

-Never complain about your boss to co-workers! Co-workers want to get ahead in their job too, so, if they have to go to your boss and tell him what you are saying to earn extra brownie points they will. It is best if you keep your mouth closed.

There is no I in team

Just like a well-oiled machine a well-oiled company needs all of its members to make things run smoothly. Just because you get to be a boss does not mean you get to slack off; just like if you are an employee you need to do your job as well.

Some leadership tips that can improve group interactions are to:

Care for your team.

Stay Close to your team.

Meet with your team.

Train your team.

Grow your team.

Inspire your team.

Socialize with your team (to an extent).

Praise, delegate, and thank your team.

Eliminate your team when needed.

Sometimes your team will have to step up to help your boss out. Though you do not need to be doing your boss’s work every day of the week there may be reasons that you do not know when your boss may need you to step up and lead the team. If you finish your work early help your co-workers get their work done. If you are not willing to help your team mates and your boss can not help the people that may have not been working there as long as you have then you may end up messing up and getting your team in trouble.

Some employee tips that lay the ground work for good group interactions are:

Make sure you get your work done.

Be willing to help out.

Listen, you are not perfect, learn from your mistakes.

Come to work on time and follow proper office etiquette

COME TO WORK.

Be a team player.

Gain new friends at work.

Be helpful.

Leadership affects group interaction in each and every way, but to be a good leader you need good employees as well. When you agree to be an employee you agree too be a team player. If a boss and an employee are both team players then there will be smooth sailing for a great work experience.

References:

Darlington, Rodger: https://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/Leader.html

Greenwood, Ramon: https://www.careerknowhow.com/advancement/boss.htm

Kate Seidametova, Resumark Blog: https://www.resumark.com/blog/katia/what-makes-a-good-boss-would-you-ever-appreciate-having-a-good-boss/

Image Credit: rozeek.pk/Wikimedia Commons