Leadership & Employee Development

Waukesha, WI

Mon - Fri: 9am to 4:30pm

The Mark of a True Leader

Jun 1, 2023Leadership

Leadership isn’t something you can just decide to be. It isn’t about having a fancy title or a large corner office. Being a leader is about embodying certain qualities and characteristics that inspire others to be their best. If you think you are a leader, ask yourself if you have what it takes to truly lead.

Learn more from some of our FAQ’s

Why should my business hire a Human Resources consulting firm?

We are highly knowledgeable and experienced in Human Resources Management (HRM). We have over 40+ years of combined HRM experience.  We have the depth and knowledge to partner with employers and employees as a valuable resource.  In many businesses HR duties are the responsibility of the owner, which is not the best use of their valuable executive business time.

Hiring HCSC will offer an organization consistency in HR policies and procedures which reduces employer liability, improves culture/morale and overall communication within the organization.

What services do you offer?

At Howard Communication Strategy Consultants, LLC (HCSC), we take a holistic approach to helping employers manage their business and their most important investment - employees. We offer flexible solutions because the one-size-fits-all method will not ensure successful results. A few of the services we provide include:  development of human resource policies, and employee handbooks, gap analysis, customized training, strategic planning, succession plans, and more.

What should be kept in an employee file?

The basic information to keep are: employee application and new hire documents, training records, any required certifications or licenses, employee performance reviews and merit increases, disciplinary records, status changes, and promotions.  Access should be confidential and kept on a “need to know” basis. Medical information should NOT be included in the Employee file, there should be a separate file for medical information.

What interview techniques do you recommend for employers?

All interview candidates will be different, and many are nervous during an interview.  We recommend that employers use a conversational tone rather than confrontational.  Keep in mind there are certain illegal questions which may not be asked. Also, remember it is important to ask each candidate the same questions.  While there are several techniques to obtain answers, we prefer to ask questions that will allow the candidate to provide examples of how they have handled or will handle a situation. The technique we recommend most often is a combination of Behavioral and Competency-Based interview questions.

Behavioral interviewing is a technique for assessing a candidate's suitability for a position. The employer asks the applicant how he or she handled a particular situation in the past to get an idea of how the candidate will handle future situations. Below are two examples of Behavioral Interview questions.

  • Describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that demonstrated your coping skills.
  • Give me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which you did not agree.

Competency-based interviewing can give the employer a sense of a candidate’s job performance and attitude toward work. Following are two examples of Competency-Based questions:

  • Tell me about a time when you had to encourage others to contribute ideas or opinions. How did you get everyone to contribute? What was the result?
  • Tell me about a situation in which your spoken communication skills made a difference in the outcome. How did you feel? What did you learn?

Leadership Traits to Embody

Leaders have certain traits that set them apart from the rest. These traits include being passionate, honest, confident, organized, reliable, empathetic, and decisive. When you possess these traits and embody them in your behavior, they become part of who you are and how others perceive you as a leader. Passionate leaders care deeply about their mission and the people with whom they work—they want to make an impact on the world around them. Honest leaders don’t shy away from difficult conversations or situations; instead, they face them head-on with integrity. Confident leaders know when to trust their gut instincts and back up their decisions with facts and data. Organized leaders know exactly how to prioritize tasks—they never let anything slip through the cracks. Reliable leaders can be counted on for support—their word carries weight because they always follow through with what they say they will do. Empathetic leaders understand where others are coming from—they make sure everyone’s voice is heard in order to foster collaboration among team members. Decisive leaders take charge when necessary—they don’t hesitate when making important decisions for the good of the organization or team as a whole.

Leadership Styles

In addition to possessing specific traits, true leaders also must have an understanding of different leadership styles in order to effectively lead others towards success. A few common leadership styles include autocratic/authoritative style, democratic style, transformational style, coaching style, participative style, transactional style, situational style, and servant leadership style. Autocratic/authoritative leadership involves one person making all decisions without input from anyone else; democratic leadership involves obtaining input from team members before making decisions; transformational leadership involves inspiring team members by setting high standards; coaching leadership involves helping team members reach their goals through mentorship; participative leadership involves involving team members in decision-making processes; transactional leadership involves exchanging rewards for performance; situational leadership involves adjusting your approach according to each situation; servant leadership involves putting others first before yourself at all times no matter what the cost may be.

Wrapping Up

Leadership is not something that can be taken lightly; it requires hard work and dedication if one wants to truly succeed as a leader of any kind—be it CEO of a company or manager of a small business unit within an organization. Leaders need to possess certain traits such as being passionate, honest, confident, organized, reliable empathetic etc., in addition to having an understanding of different types of leadership styles in order ensure success both within themselves and amongst those that they manage or lead. So, if you think you are a leader then take some time out today and ask yourself if you really have what it takes!

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