Business consultant backs IoD claims about company bosses

Aug, 22, 2011

 

A leading Shropshire business improvement consultant has backed claims by the regional Institute of Directors that too few company bosses are trusted by their staff to get a grip on current economic difficulties and drive their businesses forward.

Mark Harris, MD of The Business Company based in Shrewsbury, spoke out after IoD regional chairman John Rider announced that firms in the area were struggling to lead from the front because of a lack of trust from their workforce.

“Effective leaders need to develop a number of key traits which will inspire confidence and trust in their teams,” said Mr Harris. “They must display assertive and consistent behaviour, take responsibility for their decisions and give credit to their staff where it is due. By working with their people and involving them they can develop joint solutions that will benefit the business and improve the team spirit.

“A lot of business leaders are surprised to find that improvement ideas from staff on the ground can be both useful and effective, yet it is those who work at ground level who are first to discover whether systems and processes within the business work efficiently. But if communication between the leader, management team and workers is not strong, those at ground level will often keep their thoughts to themselves. Building trust and rapport with your staff and inviting constructive feedback helps to avoid conflict, resolve challenging situations and manage difficult people.

            “One of the things The Business Company has learned first-hand over the years is that it is also essential to release the entrepreneurial skills within the whole management team. But businesses need people who understand and can respond to the nature and personality of the entrepreneur they are working with, as the right mix of people and skills is essential to gaining maximum success.” 

 

 

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