How to implement appreciative leadership in your medium-sized company

While large corporations have now recognized the relevance of a good leadership culture, this topic is often not yet at the top of the agenda in medium-sized companies. Nowadays, the demands of employees have changed. Particularly in sectors where there is a shortage of skilled workers, the management culture must create incentives for experts to join the company. Appreciative leadership attracts qualified employees to your company and ensures that they stay.

What characterizes appreciative leadership?

A company in the SME sector can only grow if committed, motivated and qualified employees drive progress. It takes more than a good salary to retain good employees in the long term. Appreciative leadership starts with the interpersonal qualities of the manager. A central element of appreciative leadership is the holistic perception of employees. An employee comes to work every day not only with his or her work capacity, but also with his or her individual needs. Appreciative leadership means that managers are attentive to the performance and behavior of their employees, express recognition and regularly provide authentic feedback.

How to establish an appreciative leadership culture in your company

It is important that appreciative leadership is practiced at all levels of the company. There should be a common thread that employees can rely on. Establishing a new management culture in a company requires a willingness to change. It is a process that cannot be implemented overnight.

These are the four central elements of appreciative leadership:

1. Role model function of the manager
   In order to establish a uniform management culture in the company, you as a leader should act as a role model. Employees are guided by the behavior of the manager. For example, if a manager immediately reacts to mistakes with emotional criticism on a personal level, employees will try to cover up mistakes in the future. As a manager, it is important to deal openly with your own mistakes, learn from them and reduce emotional reactions to them.
   
2. Support employees individually
   Every employee is also a person with a personal history and things that have shaped them. Appreciative leadership takes this individuality into account. Leaders should not only be able to recognize a person's performance, but also give them the feeling that they are personally an asset to the team. In this context, appreciative leadership also means offering support on a personal level in the event of deficits. Employees' strengths are thus developed and weaknesses are remedied where possible.
   
3. Establishing successful communication
   Good communication is the foundation of appreciative leadership. Whether by email or in face-to-face conversations, a respectful tone should always prevail - even and especially in stressful situations or when something has not worked out as expected. Regular feedback is important so that employees know where they stand. Often, employees in a company have no sense of whether their work is recognized, appreciated and positively evaluated.
   
4. Employee motivation
   People love rewards - not only in the form of material benefits such as salary increases, but also in the form of honest praise and positive feedback. Such feedback increases motivation. Motivated employees are much more willing to perform and are also connected to a company on a personal level. A win-win situation all along the line.

Do you need support to establish appreciative leadership in your company? Then we will be happy to support you with personal coaching sessions and seminars.