Credit Union Management’s online-only “NextGen Know-How” column runs the second Wednesday of every month.

I remember my first experience managing people. I was just out of college and was hired to oversee the help desk at an insurance company. Several months after I started, my boss hired a new employee to help with the workload. I had no management experience, and very little knowledge of how to effectively manage an employee. There was no formal training or support, and I felt like a fish out of water. In the course of one day, a whole new element was added to my job description. I was no longer strictly a technical employee; I was now responsible for getting things done through others.

If you are a new leader, you may still be finding your way as a manager and developing your leadership style. Some of your employees may have once been your peers and you may find it challenging to now be in charge of someone you once shared a cubicle with. Every leader was once in your shoes. The key is to learn an effective leadership style that inspires your employees to work hard for you while at the same time earns their respect.

Much has changed over the past several decades, and the expectations organizations have of their leaders is no exception. Workers no longer expect to stay at the same job for their whole career and won’t stay long working for a boss with a traditional management style. Leading-edge organizations strive to be a “best place to work” and invest greatly in building exceptional cultures. Successful companies are building programs to attract and retain the best talent in the marketplace.

The traditional management style of exerting power and control and telling people what to do does not retain excellent employees. An effective leadership style requires you to engage employees and inspire them to want to work hard for you. This style requires collaboration and partnership rather than control and power. To be a cutting-edge leader, you need to offer a work environment that is supportive and collaborative.

Below are 10 tips for new leaders who want to be exceptional:

Delegate tasks and authority. One of your roles as a leader is to deliver results through others. This means letting go of some technical parts of the job you are good at so you can develop your employees to effectively handle these tasks. Your new role is to support the growth of your employees by removing obstacles and coaching them to solve problems. Allow your employees the freedom to tackle projects and issues on their own while being available for questions and support. The key is to trust your employees and allow them to take ownership of their jobs.

Build your team. Take the approach of listening twice as much as you speak. Seek out and listen to the ideas of your team. Find out what others think instead of inserting your opinions. Don’t solve problems for employees; ask questions and guide them to finding the answers for themselves. One of the best indications of a great leader is a team that can function without constant supervision. By helping your employees to think critically, you are developing them to take on broader roles and more responsibility.

Take an interest in people. An important element of leadership is connecting with people. Earn the respect and trust of your staff so they confide in you. Treat each member of your team with respect and get to know them as people. Ask about their interests and families. Many new leaders struggle with either being too friendly with their staff (partying or gossiping with their employees) or trying too hard to be seen as the “boss” by putting up a wall and not discussing any personal topics. There is a line to be drawn, but don’t make it one extreme or the other. Employees want to work for a leader who is genuine and takes and interest in them personally.

Be authentic. Don’t create a leadership façade to exert influence. Employees are more likely to follow a genuine, honest leader than one who tries to create the image of a stoic professional. You don’t need to know all the answers. Great leaders admit mistakes and seek out help when they need it.

Set clear goals and expectations. Many new leaders shy away from setting clear expectations and deadlines for their employees because they want to be liked. The fact is, employees want you to be clear about your expectations and requirements. Being transparent about what you expect and need from your employees leaves little room for interpretation and empowers your employees to succeed. Assigning deadlines doesn’t mean you are being heavy handed. Being clear and straightforward about what you expect enables employees to plan their work schedule and deliver results.

Develop an ongoing coaching relationship. Employees need regular feedback and recognition to develop professionally. One of the biggest mistakes even the most experienced managers make is putting coaching and recognition on the back burner. Hold regular individual meetings with your employees to gain their feedback and opinions, provide them with specific feedback, and understand their professional goals. The individual attention you give your staff will foster an open and trusting relationship. This is one of the most important roles as a leader, and needs to be at the top of your priority list.

Seek out a mentor. To grow your leadership skills, seek out the advice and model the behaviors of leaders you admire and trust. Find someone you can turn to in challenging situations who can give you an objective view and provide suggestions based on their experience. Ask them what they are reading. Find out what makes them successful. Ask lots of questions. Soak up as much information as you can so you can apply it to your leadership.

Take a global approach. To be effective in your role, you must be knowledgeable in other areas of the credit union in addition to your functional area. Learn at least the basics of the other functional areas of your organization. Seek out your leadership peers to learn about their roles and responsibilities. Gain a good understanding of the credit union’s financials and seek to understand how your functional area ties into the strategic goals of the organization. Part of your role as a leader is to help your employees understand how their job impacts the global organization. You can’t lead in a vacuum; make it a priority to become informed about the strategic and financial aspects of the credit union. (Get started by reading this related article.)

Become a life-long learner. Always seek to improve your leadership abilities. You won’t be successful if you are stagnant. Make it a point to read leadership books and periodicals, and invest in your own professional development. Attend conferences and workshops that will propel your leadership forward. Learn about other areas of the business so you can add value in leadership meetings beyond your functional area. Develop the mindset of constantly wanting to learn and grow both personally and professionally.

Lead by example. New leaders often fall into the trap of trying to be friends with their employees by over-sharing information. As a manager, your employees will look to you as the example. Don’t talk negatively about your boss or peers to your employees. Share only information that is intended for them to hear. Develop the reputation of being trustworthy, and your peers will turn to you for help when they need it. You will not only earn the respect and trust of your employees, but of other leaders as well.

Laurie J. Maddalena, MBA, CPCC, PHR, is a certified executive coach, consultant and founder of Envision Excellence, LLC, Rockville, Md. She was also an HR executive at a $450 million credit union. Contact her at 240.605.7940 or lmaddalena@envisionexcellence.net.