Business owners need to focus more on their motivation skills, now that employees are rating the ability to inspire as the most important quality in a leader.
According to Randstad’s 2011 World of Work report, 48 percent of Australian employees rate motivation skills the highest when determining a successful leader but 38 percent rate their manager’s ability to inspire as poor or average.
“Often executives and managers do not realise the profound effect their words and actions have on their employees,” Randstad CEO Fred van der Tang said.
Workers agree their leaders have adapted well to economic change but it is no longer considered an important quality. Only 12 percent of employees rated the ability to adapt as an important attribute.
Van der Tang suggests this shift in values has changed as business conditions begin to improve. Managers need to adapt to the recent shift and change their approach as workers begin to look to them for inspiration.
“Employees want to feel their efforts are not only directly contributing to a vision, but that the vision is authentic and inspiring – something they can work towards and feel good,” he said.
Randstad’s report found the biggest performance motivator for workers is feeling important within their role. One in five workers (22 percent) want a strong understanding of how their role contributes to the business’ goals and overall success.
“This means nearly a third of all employees are motivated by an organisations vision – underlining the important of ‘big picture thinking’,” van der Tang said.
“Leaders who are able to effectively communicate their organisations strategic direction can have a massive influence on employee engagement levels.”
As the economy becomes stronger, van der Tang believes the leaders that inspire and put forth a strong vision will be successful in the future.