Great
leadership skills are vitally important to keeping life science companies
thriving as mangers have, in a variety of ways, the ability to influence the
design, development and distribution of products that have a huge impact on
patients’ lives. Moving into a management role requires not only a step-up in
responsibility but a complete shift in behaviour and mindset. People do not
become leaders overnight, instead they must devote time and commitment to learning
how to motivate, inspire and innovate. Here
are a few of the most fundamental ways to improve your leadership skills:
Practise discretion
Learning
how to practise discretion at work is a staple leadership quality. This is a
varied skill that involves being diplomatic, cautious and using common sense when
dealing with confidential information or sensitive situations in the workplace.
It also means improving your sense of judgement, knowing how to handle
difficult office politics and avoiding damaging behaviours such as gossiping. Leaders
must be able to maintain a moral high-ground as this will help you gain respect
from your team and others in the company.
Know when to delegate
Knowing
when to take charge and when to delegate tasks to your team can be a challenge at
first, but it’s an important leadership skill. There is a lot of evidence to
suggest that delegating responsibilities is beneficial to both manager and employee,
yet there is often reluctance to relinquish control. Some managers are afraid
the work won’t be done to a high enough standard and that they can do a better
job themselves.
However, delegating
tasks to an employee is an useful tool in their training and development, and helps
to empower them with the confidence you have put in their abilities. True
leaders should always be asking; “Could someone else be doing this?” or “Would
it benefit someone in my team to learn how to do this?” However, be sure to provide
them with the training, guidance and feedback they need to solidify the new
skills they are learning.
Learn how to motivate your team
Another
important step in developing your leadership skills is learning to motivate
your team to be as productive and committed as possible. Some arguments suggest
that monetary incentives are not as effective as they used to be, leaving a lot
of onus on managers to look for different ways to stimulate and inspire employees.
Leaders should always recognise the efforts and achievements of their staff, and
ensure they understand how their work contributes to team, department and wider
company goals. This is important as many professionals choose to work in the
life science industry because of the sense of purpose it brings. ProClinical can
offer more advice on how to improve
your motivation skills to lead a productive team.
Focus more on soft skills
While your
technical abilities are vital to your role as a manager, particularly within
life science companies that rely on highly skilled employees to sustain innovation,
becoming a leader also demands a whole new type of skill set - known as ‘soft’
skills. In fact, this could be one of the more significant shifts you’ll
experience when moving into a leadership role, and your ability to master these
skills will set you apart from other leaders.
Soft
skills are so important because they revolve around the ability to communicate
and engage effectively with people inside and outside of the organisation,
which can have a big impact on how influential you are as a leader. These
skills are wide ranging and transferable for use in several different
activities, tasks and situations at work. Examples include becoming a more
effective communicator and listener, improving critical thinking and
problem-solving skills, and mastering more difficult aspects such as conflict
resolution and giving constructive feedback.
Adapt your mindset
Improving
your leadership skills also requires adapting your mindset, from being led to
leading. Developing as a leader is marked by a shift of focus from yourself to
putting the company, patients and wider industry at the heart of the decisions
you make. It’s likely you now have more opportunity to influence strategy. It’s
also about setting yourself higher standards and making a mental commitment to adhere
strictly to quality requirements, which is vital to ensure patients receive the
safest and most effective medical products possible.
Continue learning
Moving into
a leadership position is a significant milestone in your career. However, successful
leaders understand that there is always more to learn, that developing a strong
leadership style is a continuous process. As new technology and trends develop,
leaders must be able to react and adapt to the tide of change. This is hugely
important to help keep life science companies as relevant, innovative and
high-tech as possible to maximise the benefit to patients.
Talent-spotting
Paying
attention to your continued professional growth is certainly a key aspect of
being a great leader, but you must broaden your scope to enable the growth and
ambition of employees in your team. Some managers may struggle not to feel
threatened by a talented employee, yet true leaders will be keen to nurture those
with potential. This skill will also benefit you as you slowly build your own
team; being able to spot talent will not only make your team more successful,
but contribute to the company’s vision and goals.
Do you think you’re ready for a
leadership role? ProClinical has a number of management positions available at
various leading life science companies globally. Simply upload your CV or apply directly online. Take the first step today to be one of tomorrow’s leaders.
