In last week’s column, five leadership tips were shared. There are hundreds of worthwhile tips available from many resources. Many tips depend on the leader’s role, experience, and situation. The tips provided last week and today are ones that fit most individuals in any leadership position.

Be interested as well as interesting. Being selected for a leadership role usually means a person is interesting. They can explain things in a way that cause people to listen. They can share stories that help those they lead better understand why something should be done in a certain way. Yet to create a relationship that flourishes, the best leaders take time to be interested. They ask questions to learn what the person likes as well as their experiences, hobbies, family, etc.

Recently I sat down with J.D. Smith who works as an usher for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. J.D. is retired. The usher job helps him stay engaged in the community. J.D. receives rave reviews. In our conversation, I learned that J.D. was a star athlete at Bucknell. He grew up in upstate New York. He received his PhD from Florida State. He is a huge fan of W. Edwards Deming. He taught for many years in a variety of situations. His previous wife died quite young. His current wife is Susan. He has two children. One lives in Washington, and one lives in Pensacola. And there is even more. I could have talked about me, but I know all that already. The key is to be interested in others. This creates a foundation for a relationship. I left enriched.

Clarify expectations. At a recent class at George Washington University taught by Dr. Leonard Friedman, the students asked for career advice. One of the suggestions I offered was to clarify the expectations others have for you. Do not guess. Most of the students were about to enter their residency, a yearlong experience in a healthcare organization. I recommended they ask the person overseeing their work at the site they will be at these questions: “When you think of the best resident you have ever had, what made them the best? My goal is to be the best. When you think of a resident who did not work out well, what do you feel caused it?” This tip works in most settings. Ask your leader, “A year from now, if I have exceeded your expectations, what will have been achieved?” Ask those you lead, “What qualities do you find in a leader who helps you to be at your best?” In their book Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, the Heath brothers share that clarity and success go hand in hand.

Show trust. An effective way to show people you trust them is to ask for their thoughts: “How do you feel about this? Let me run something by you. I would love your opinion on this.” Share a plan and ask for feedback. While people usually feel they need to give positive feedback, ask them to go deeper: “What am I missing? What is the downside?” Ask for their help. Bring some frontline staff in and ask their advice on how something should be communicated. As you can see, there is no end to this! Asking for feedback, input, or concerns shows people you trust them. This is an important skill I learned more about in coauthoring The Human Margin: Building the Foundations of Trust with Dr. Katherine A. Meese.

Build skills. A key role of a leader is to be a chief development officer for employees. It is important to support their development. People are more likely to stay in a job and in an organization when they are invested in. Yes, I suggest you say invested in versus trained. What skills does each person need and desire? Find out the answer. Then go about making sure they get the opportunity to acquire such skills. Have a development plan for everyone you lead.

Be a good public relations person. Think of yourself as the public relations arm for the department and organization as well as for the individuals you lead. Many times, a leader will make the comment that sharing the good things their area and individuals are doing is self-promotion. It is not. It is a way to let those in leadership get the opportunity to recognize excellent work. People in senior roles want to recognize people. They also want to be authentic. Staff can tell when a person says, “Good job!” and does not have the details. Make it a point to send notes to senior leaders on the excellent work of those you lead. When you see them rounding on staff, point out the good work that is taking place. Send your leader a scouting report detailing items to be aware of when they come into your work area: accomplishments, people to recognize, and anything they need to be sensitive to (such as someone who recently lost a family member). Help your leaders be better leaders.

I guarantee you, when these tips are put into practice, those you lead will be appreciative, your leader will be grateful…and you and others will find more joy in the work.