Leadership keys to help your team deliver great results

By Ryann Dowdy, CEO/Founder of Uncensored Tip: Be in the Room , sales coach, business strategist and best-selling author.

A great leader doesn't need to be an extrovert or a party goer: they just need to know how to motivate and inspire others, which can lead to business success. Great leaders are not born; they are done. Here are the key things every good leader must do to get fantastic results from their team.

Inspiration

A great leader knows how to find the right people and involve them in the company's mission, inspiring them and strengthening their sense of pride and belonging. It's not enough to hire a great team.

You also need to inspire your team to be creative and take action. You can do this by empowering your people and giving them the opportunity to come up with new ideas and teach others what they know best.

Motivation

Inspiration is key, but take it a step further and use this tactic to motivate your team. Let your employees know how their lives will improve on a personal level when company/team goals are achieved. The truth is, employees don't really care about business goals, but they do care about their personal goals.

Explain how achieving business goals can also help them achieve personal goals. This can take the form of a bonus, a pay rise or extra vacation. Either way, linking your goals to theirs is a surefire way to get employees to feel motivated to fully invest in the company's growth. Everyone wins.

Trust

Trust is the foundation of any great team, and it starts with the leader. When you trust your team, they'll be more likely to want to do a good job for you. Confidence can allow them to take ownership of a project rather than just checking off the tasks assigned to them. They will be more inclined to give their all and give their best.

They might not use the exact process or follow the exact steps you would have taken, and that's okay. Trust them to use their strengths and create an amazing end result - the result can be far greater than you ever imagined.

Compassion

To be a great leader, you must understand that your employees are human beings too. There may be times when they need compassion and understanding. Humans don't perform 100% all the time. We all have our bad days, and we all go through tough times in life that affect our ability to stay focused and be creative in the workplace.

Show compassion and understanding when you feel an employee is struggling, even when those difficulties are not work-related. You may find that your team often reciprocates by focusing on work tasks when it feels best.

Respect

If you want your employees to respect you, you have to show them that you respect them. Their time is just as valuable as yours. Their goals are just as important as yours. Their knowledge is just as important as yours.

Remember that you hired them because you value their intelligence and appreciate their contribution. It is normal to let them have the last word in certain decisions. Trusting them to make big decisions is perhaps the highest form of respect. When you show mutual respect, they're more likely to feel motivated to do their best. And when your employees are happy and productive, you and your business can reap the benefits.

Being a great leader is essential to creating overall success. Your team needs trust, inspiration and motivation from you. It is mission critical to remember to show respect and compassion to your team. It's not always easy, but it's 100% worth it because when you're able to be a great leader, your team can respond with fantastic results.