Pictured: Mark Harris, MD of The Business Company
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."
For more information about The Business Company, please visit
their website here: www.thebusinesscompany.biz