Effective leadership skills are essential for those wanting to progress their career into the more advanced stages. Being able to efficiently and effective manage a team and a job site will help springboard you from working on the tools to a role in management, or even to start your own business.
If you feel that these development opportunities aren’t offered in a formal sense within your company, then it can be difficult to know how best to take that next step. A course like a Diploma of Building and Construction online can help, but you also need to focus on on-the-job skills too.
There are plenty of ways you can introduce personal development to your current role to build the skills you need. Couple these with formal qualifications like building and construction certificates, and you’ll be ready for management. In fact, demonstrating initiative is one of the most fundamental aspects of leadership, so you’re already heading in the right direction.
We looked into how to develop leadership skills at work, before you take on a complementary qualification like a Certificate IV or Diploma in Building and Construction. Read on to find out how.
Invest in your Apprentices
As you progress further in your career, there is a chance you’ll be assigned an apprentice. Training an apprentice is a great opportunity for you both, as you’ll get the chance to mentor and support a tradie to be the best they can, while also learning some essential management skills yourself. If you take mentoring seriously, this can be a great way to gauge whether you’re ready for a position in senior management, or up to running a business.
Make sure your regularly check in with them, asking if they have what they need to do well. Are you supporting them enough? Is the training at their pace? Is there anything they are struggling with, and if so, how can you help?
Bond with your Colleagues
Taking the time to understand and bond with your colleagues can be a great way to foster leadership skills. One way to do this to help your team to be the best it can be, and to do that you first have to know that team inside and out. Why do your co-workers get out of bed every morning to do what they do? What do they want changed? What are they good at, and what needs improvement? Who don’t they get on well with?
A team is a complex network of relationships, and a leader needs to be able to elevate everyone to perform at their best. You also need to be able to trust individuals to take responsibility for certain tasks, and the more you know them, the more you can do this with confidence. Fostering a sense of team is a fantastic example of how to improve leadership skills in the workplace.
Look at the Big Picture
Even if you’re not planning to enter management within your current organisation, you can still make the most of your position and study your company for any existing issues, and find ways to rectify them. It is the ability to recognise problems at their roots, and mapping out the best solutions, that will help you make the most of your building and construction knowledge and past education.
Consider these things: have you noticed any negative themes that spread throughout the company, like a high worker turnover rate, that people aren’t particularly positive about their role, or that they seem to be making the same mistakes over and over?
Leaders will see these as problems that need solving. Perhaps the problem is a lack of internal training, or not enough hands-on direction. Being able to identify these weaknesses will help you to ultimately build a stronger business when you do choose to step up, either within the company or on your own.
Keep Track of Trends
Being able to see what’s around the corner is a key component of any good leader’s skill set, and you should always be looking for efficiencies or how the business can improve. If you’re studying building and construction certificates while you’re still at work, it can be useful to apply your learnings to your current company.
Maybe it’s a matter of following some industry leaders on LinkedIn and making an effort to read a new post with your morning coffee. Or maybe you can see that your team would really benefit from new technology that’s making waves in your sector, whatever tactic works best for you to make sure you’re keeping track of the trends.
Ask for Responsibility, Ask for Feedback
If you feel ready to take your first big test before beginning your Certificate IV in Building and Construction, then chat to your boss about taking ownership of a new project. It might be a scary thought, but it’s okay—you’re not expected to know everything. Feel free to check in and ask for feedback on how you’re performing, or how you can improve if there’s any area you’re less than confident in. Not only will you now have a solid case study of your management ability behind you, but you’ll also be front of mind for your boss if they’re looking to invest in the next leader.
Take on a Diploma of Building And Construction Online
All of the soft leadership skills you learn on the jobsite can be further developed through a Diploma of Building and Construction with CWBTS. Building and construction certificates arm you with formal qualifications, meaning you are able to stand out from the rest and move forward in your career with confidence. Our Diploma of Building and Construction is also available online, which means that you can still get on with work and personal commitments, while completing your studies.
Want to stay within your current company? Chat to your boss about the possibility of taking on a Diploma in Building and Construction—they may be willing to invest if they see potential. Not only does it demonstrate initiative that you’re willing to take charge of your own development, but it also indicates that you’re loyal to the company and willing to use your own learnings for the betterment of the business.
A Diploma in Building and Construction can be your ticket to your next career move.
Looking to take the next step in your career in building and construction by taking on a Certificate IV or Diploma? Contact our team at 1300 4 CWBTS or request a callback and we will get back to you with all the information you need.
