Five leadership tips by Psychologist & Leadership Coach Miselina Lemisiou.

Becoming a Leader

Stepping into a managerial role brings both exciting opportunities and significant responsibilities. Effective leadership is essential for fostering a productive, motivated, and cohesive team. A great leader not only guides their team towards achieving their goals but also supports their growth and development. 

Here are five key tips to help you excel in your managerial position, by Psychologist & Leadership Coach Miselina Lemisiou:

 Listen and Learn

• Get to Know Your Team: Spend time understanding your team’s strengths, weaknesses, and working styles. Hold one-on-one meetings to build rapport and trust. This personal connection helps you tailor your management approach to meet individual needs and enhance team cohesion. By showing genuine interest in their personal and professional lives, you can foster a positive and supportive work environment.
• Understand the Environment: Take time to learn about the company’s culture, processes, and the challenges your team faces. By listening more than you speak initially, you can gain valuable insights that will inform your decisions and strategies. Attending departmental meetings, engaging with other departments, and observing current workflows can provide a comprehensive understanding of the operational landscape.

Set Clear Expectations

• Define Roles and Responsibilities: Clearly outline what is expected from each team member, including job responsibilities, performance standards, and goals. Creating detailed job descriptions and performance metrics helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures everyone knows their role in the team’s success. Discussing these expectations during onboarding and regular reviews keeps everyone aligned and accountable.
• Communicate Goals: Ensure that your team understands the overall goals and how their work contributes to achieving them. Holding regular team meetings to discuss progress and updates, using visual aids like charts and graphs, and aligning individual goals with the company’s mission and vision helps create a cohesive and motivated team working towards common objectives.

Lead by Example

• Demonstrate Integrity: Be a role model in terms of work ethic, behavior, and attitude. Your team will look to you as an example, so it’s crucial to maintain consistency in your actions and decisions. Treating everyone with respect and fairness, and following through on your commitments and promises, establishes a foundation of trust and credibility.
• Be Accountable: Take responsibility for your actions and decisions. Admitting mistakes and working on solutions shows that it’s okay to learn from errors. Encouraging a culture of accountability within the team helps create an environment where everyone feels responsible for their contributions. Use mistakes as learning opportunities for everyone, and address issues promptly and constructively.

Foster Open Communication

• Encourage Feedback: Create an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas, concerns, and feedback. Actively seek their input and show that you value their contributions by implementing regular feedback sessions or suggestion boxes. Acknowledging and acting on constructive feedback promotes a culture of open dialogue and mutual respect.
• Be Transparent: Keep your team informed about important developments and decisions. Transparency builds trust and ensures everyone is on the same page. Sharing updates on company news and strategic changes, explaining the rationale behind major decisions, and being open about challenges fosters a more inclusive and cohesive work environment.

Support and Develop Your Team

• Provide Resources: Ensure your team has the tools, training, and support they need to succeed. Identifying and addressing gaps in skills and knowledge, offering workshops, courses, and mentoring programs, and ensuring access to the latest technology and tools shows your commitment to their professional growth and success.
• Recognize and Reward: Acknowledge achievements and hard work. Recognizing and rewarding good performance boosts morale and motivation. Implementing a structured recognition program, celebrating both small and large accomplishments, and offering incentives like bonuses, promotions, or additional responsibilities helps create a positive and motivating work environment.

The steps to an effective leadership

By implementing these leadership tips, you can create a supportive, transparent, and motivating environment that encourages your team to thrive and achieve their goals. Effective leadership begins with listening and learning from your team, understanding their strengths, weaknesses, and working styles. Building relationships and trust through one-on-one meetings provides valuable insights that inform your management approach. Setting clear expectations is crucial; when team members understand their roles and how their work contributes to the team’s objectives, it fosters a sense of purpose and direction. Regular check-ins and feedback sessions ensure everyone stays aligned and can address any obstacles promptly.

Leading by example is another cornerstone of effective leadership. Demonstrating integrity and accountability sets a standard for your team, encouraging a culture of honesty and growth. Fostering open communication is vital for creating a collaborative and innovative workplace, where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas and feedback. Supporting and developing your team by providing necessary resources, training, and recognition boosts morale and performance. By embracing these principles, you can become a successful and respected manager, guiding your team towards achieving great things together. Effective leadership is a continuous journey of improvement and dedication to your team’s success.

Who is Miselina Lemisiou

Miselina Lemisiou studied at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Nottingham University, earning a Pg.Dip in Psychology. She holds MSc degrees in Health Psychology from UCL and Person-Centered Counselling and Psychotherapy from Strathclyde University. Triple-certified in Coaching for High Performance by MDI, CCU, and AMA, she is a founding member of the Panhellenic Association of Person-Centred & Experiential Professionals and a Scientific Associate at SKEP. Since 2014, She has developed a Person-Centered Coaching Model, awarded at the HR Awards Greece, focusing on Emotional and Social Intelligence Competencies. Her work is published in the International Coaching Psychology Review and included in Johns Hopkins Carey Business School’s curriculum and the ICF Global Research Portal. She champions a work environment where trust, engagement, and collective power drive high performance and development.

Contact Information

• Tel: +30 6936564086
• e-mail: miselina_lem@yahoo.gr