You need to be supportive and uphold high standards. Can you master this leadership balance?
In leadership, finding the right balance between being supportive and upholding high standards can be challenging. Here are some strategies to help you master this balance:
What strategies do you use to balance support and high standards in your leadership? Share your thoughts.
You need to be supportive and uphold high standards. Can you master this leadership balance?
In leadership, finding the right balance between being supportive and upholding high standards can be challenging. Here are some strategies to help you master this balance:
What strategies do you use to balance support and high standards in your leadership? Share your thoughts.
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Mastering the balance between being supportive and upholding high standards requires clear communication and genuine engagement. Start by setting clear, achievable expectations while showing empathy toward your team’s challenges. Provide constructive feedback that focuses on growth rather than criticism. Celebrate successes to boost morale, but address underperformance promptly with solutions and encouragement.
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Mantener el equilibrio entre exigir y apoyar es esencial. Establecer metas claras y desafiantes estimula el rendimiento del equipo. Sin embargo, también es vital proporcionar herramientas y recursos para alcanzarlas. Fomentar un ambiente de confianza a través de la comunicación y el reconocimiento de los logros. Escuchar y ofrecer apoyo individual refuerza la moral y fomenta la colaboración. Este equilibrio entre presión y apoyo no solo mejora el rendimiento, sino que también fortalece la cohesión y resiliencia del equipo, conduciendo al éxito compartido.
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It is important to make it safe to fail. In order to achieve high standards it is vital that employees and colleagues are empowered, and that means normalising failure. Operating with an expectation of perfection makes the fall huge. But if you normalise a feedback process where things are approved, updated, or even vetoed, then you enable people to try, succeed, fail and learn. In order to empower teams to fail fast, the most important factor is to create space to do so. With constant deadlines, there is no room to experiment, evolve and deliver something new. Space is the catalyst of creativity and will keep standards far higher for far longer than rigid expectations.
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I’ve found it helpful to think about leadership as if I’m working with volunteers, even in a business setting. 1-Frame expectations as shared goals. Like volunteers, team members thrive when they understand why the standards matter and feel a sense of purpose. 2-Respect individual approaches. Not everyone works the same way, and that’s a strength. Let people bring their style to the table while keeping the outcome in focus. 3-Lead with trust and encouragement. Volunteers don’t respond well to micromanagement—and neither do business teams! Support your team, give clear guidance, and let them shine. This mindset helps me balance accountability with support, creating a motivated and high-performing team.
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Balancing support with high standards is the heart of leadership. Here’s how to master it: 1️⃣ Be clear on expectations. High standards only work when the team knows exactly what’s expected. 2️⃣ Coach, don’t criticize. Offer guidance with questions like: “How can we make this even better?” 3️⃣ Celebrate progress. Acknowledge wins while pointing to the next level. Great leaders inspire confidence while pushing for growth. That’s the A-game. All-in, A-game, Always! 💪
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