Relational leaders have far greater impacts on their team and their organization by focusing on creating an environment in which their direct reports feel valued, respected, and supported. They strive to create a sense of connection with their team, knowing that a team with a deep sense of belonging will be far more effective.
But, you might be thinking, “I’m just not a very relational person. I’m more task-oriented than people-oriented. It’s just not for me.”
This is understandable, but ultimately misguided. Every leader must strive to be a more relational leader, as it carries along with it a wide variety of benefits.
If you’d like to work through your own leadership style and discover how to have a greater impact in your organization and the world, set up an initial consultation with one of Leadership Coaching Network’s trained coaches.
Benefits of relational leadership
The benefits of being a relational leader are numerous and far-reaching, offering leaders a competitive advantage in today’s rapidly shifting business environment.
A relational leader focuses on developing relationships with their direct reports and encouraging team members to work together.
Not only does this create a positive atmosphere, but it also leads to greater communication, improved collaboration both within and between teams, and ultimately, better results across teams.
Research supports this notion of the power of relationships in the workplace.
Studies have found that ensuring that employees have good relationships with their coworkers is vital for cultivating a productive and satisfied workplace.
Leaders should strive to foster these relationships by encouraging outside-of-work social interactions, such as organizing after-hours events. Doing so will not only improve employee satisfaction, but will also increase their loyalty to the organization and their performance levels.
Another landmark study found that when team members take the time to build strong relationships, those relationships create greater opportunities to benefit from each other’s skills and knowledge. This leads to cooperative behavior, which allows more access to resources, resulting in mutual benefit.
This isn’t just restricted to Western contexts.
For instance, one study conducted in Vietnam consisted of questionnaire survey of 303 nurses in various hospitals to examine the performance drivers of nurses in Vietnamese hospitals.
The results of the survey demonstrate that positive relationships between nurses and their leaders have a positive effect on nurses’ working behaviors, including greater commitment, lower levels of reported job stress, and an increased perception of social impact.
You can find even more major studies on the impact of positive relationships in the workplace at Positive Psychology.
Basic ways to grow in relational leadership skills
It’s clear that being a relational leader is essential for encouraging thriving in the workplace, but what should you do to become a more relational leader with your direct reports?
Get to know your team and their individual needs
Establishing connections with your team can start with simply getting to know your team, their individual backgrounds, strengths, weaknesses, and goals. Ask questions, listen to their answers, and take the time to understand their perspectives.
In a previous article, we have provided some specific advice on how to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your team.
Boost morale by recognizing achievements
Celebrate team successes and recognize individual achievements with specific praise that is focused on the person, not on what you think or feel.
The key here is “specific.” Saying nothing more than “good job” really doesn’t make your direct report feel seen or appreciated. Taking the time to note something specific they did well, however, goes a really long way.
I try to spend time reflecting every week about people who made a difference in our work and take the time to give them specific, genuine appreciation.
If your company uses something like 15Five, be sure to use the “High Five” module to communicate that appreciation.
Focus delegation on development, not dictation
Rather than dictating tasks to your team, take the time to delegate tasks and explain the rationale behind each decision, ensuring that the delegated task is actually an opportunity for your team to grow.
If at all possible, avoid the delegation of tasks that do not have a developmental component. Your team should be learning, growing and improving through delegation, not just making your job easier.
However, this often requires you take the time to show the “why” behind the task and how it moves the ball forward for your team as a whole.
Encourage open dialogue
Establish an atmosphere of open communication and collaboration. Listen to your team’s ideas and suggestions, provide constructive feedback on their work, and implement their ideas.
We’ve talked about why and how to communicate openly between teams, but this is just as critical when it comes to communicating within your team. See that article for some practical tips to get you started.
The key to encouraging open dialogue is being intentional in drawing out feedback and participation from all members of the team.
For example, you could try a round robin exercise in your next team meeting where each team member has the opportunity to speak and share their ideas on a specific topic or challenge the team is facing.
Start by setting ground rules to ensure that everyone is respectful and inclusive of perspectives they might not be used to hearing in a team meeting. Make it clear that people are not to shoot down ideas but rather express openness and support after everyone shares.
Then, give each team member a set amount of time to share their thoughts and ideas, and encourage them to listen actively to their teammates.
After everyone has had a chance to speak, you can facilitate a discussion to explore common themes and insights that emerged from the exercise.
In addition to the benefits in creating a more open, dialogue-friendly team culture, it can go a long way in helping the team identify areas for improvement and then come up with actionable steps to move forward.
However, you need to make sure you’re doing this regularly, not just a one-off event at a single team meeting.
As a manager or leader, you need to make sure that that you’re leading out in encouragement and acknowledgement of team contributions in such settings. This will go a long way toward building deeper relationships with every person under your leadership as they see you genuinely care about their contributions.
Foster a sense of teamwork
Foster a sense of team spirit by organizing team activities and encouraging team members to work together.
This shouldn’t be cheesy so-called team building exercises, but rather something that actually makes team members feel connected and appreciated.
This could be anything from a silly, fun office sports tournament to a team lunch. If you do a team lunch, you can take some intentional time to encourage team members to express appreciation for each other. You can ask a question around the table like, “Who on this team has encouraged you in your work this week? Why?”
I’m also a big fan of nonwork-related “happy hours” (this doesn’t have to involve drinking, and perhaps shouldn’t) or similar activities. This helps create an atmosphere of friendship, which leads to better team cohesion and much more successful teamwork.
The important thing is to get the team working and interacting with each other.
One other practical step to fostering a sense of teamwork is regularly communicating and celebrating successes. Align your team around a common vision, inform them regularly about the progress and successes that have been made by all members of the team, and recognize individual and collective achievements.
If you can afford to invest in professional development for your team as a team, such investments go a long way.
For instance, taking your entire team on a leadership development retreat or to a relevant conference can result in dividends for their work performance that go far beyond the content they received during the sessions.
Conclusion
It’s no exaggeration to say that the most effective leaders are all relational leaders. Science also supports the notion that relationships dramatically boost satisfaction in one’s job in addition to impact on the bottom line.
In this article we’ve looked at just five basic ways to begin your journey toward deeper relational leadership. In future articles, we’ll go into far greater depth on each of these areas and more. Relational leadership is that important!
Begin by deeply understanding the strengths and weaknesses of your people, recognizing that it is essential in order to create an effective and productive team. Focus on fostering an environment of open dialogue, collaboration, and team spirit. Celebrate success, delegate tasks that encourage growth, and have fun together to create a strong team-oriented culture.
If you do these things, you’ll be well on your way to being an effective relational leader. Also, know that our coaches at Leadership Coaching Network are here to walk with you in this leadership journey, helping you identify areas for growth, establish clear plans to move forward, work through obstacles. Contact us if you have any questions or would like to set up a constellation.