The New Year is a time for many people to take stock of where they are, where they want, and what they need to change in their everyday lives. For leaders, whether they are supervisors, managers, mid-level executives, or senior executives in any field, being more effective is the key to success, both for them and for their organization. The New Year is a great time to assess which leadership skills and traits are working and which are inhibiting success. Here are ten of them for your consideration.

beginning

Learning at least ten facts about each of your “direct reports” employees. Take the time to know more about them, and their lives inside and outside the workplace makes them more human and builds respect and relationship between the two of you.

Stop

Micromanage the daily activities of your employees at any level of the organization. Micromanaging decreases productivity, creativity, and motivation. If you give them clear goals and then monitor their achievement of those goals on a regular basis, most employees perform at higher levels.

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Have a direct face-to-face conversation with your people at all levels of the organization about what works and, more importantly, what doesn’t. The key here is to listen rather than talk. But asking a lot of questions is good. While you may not act on every point, issue, or idea, it’s important to get a more head-on perspective of what’s going on in the organization.

Stop

Postpone writing and giving performance reviews to your direct report employees at the last minute. Most managers at any level make this mistake. As a leader of people, continuous feedback culminating in a comprehensive and comprehensive performance appraisal is essential.

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Be more honest with all comments. Don’t say something is good if it’s mediocre. Don’t say something is adequate if it is poor. Whether it’s a product, a presentation, a report, an announcement, or a strategy, being more honest and truthful is the right thing to do for you and your organization. Too many people are lavish with praise and accept poor work.

Stop

Interact with people via email. Face to face is ideal. If not face to face then by phone. The last resort should be by email. Too many managers at all levels hide behind email instead of dealing directly with peers, bosses, employees, or even customers. There is nothing like the personal touch for a leader.

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Encourage your people to get more training and education. The natural instinct is to say “no”. You can’t afford to have them out of the office. But more training and education will make them more effective, more creative, and more valuable when on the job. Invest in your people.

Stop

That bogus “rah-rah” initiative-of-the-month program. They waste everyone’s time, energy, and organization budget. Understand your vision, your mission and your values. Ensure your goals in a clear and quantified way. Then focus on energizing your time on what needs to be done to reach those goals.

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Be a true “coach” by making sure you communicate goals and objectives clearly. You should be able to ask any member of your team about their goals and you should get a clear and concise answer, including where they stand in relation to their achievement to date. If they can’t, then you haven’t been clear enough about your goals.

Stop

Accept recognition for yourself. Direct all recognition to your people. The soldiers on the front lines deserve the medals. Not the pencil pushers behind the desks at Headquarters. When something good happens, make sure the right person is recognized, and right away.

Being a “boss” is not easy. It really is about being a leader, not a manager, regardless of title. To be a more effective leader in the New Year, starting and stopping the behaviors and actions described above will provide a fresh start.