5 Must-Have Skills for Today's EHS Leaders

When it comes to hazmat and environmental compliance, strong leadership skills are critical.

Every day, industry leaders instruct workers to follow exacting requirements for packaging products or wastes, closing packages and containers, affixing labels, marking and labeling, and more. These workers may or may not have a full grasp of the domestic or international regulations that back up those procedures—and “because I said so” doesn’t always cut it.

When workers trust in their organization’s leadership, they are far more likely to follow these procedures—even when they seem arduous or time intensive. Below are five skills leaders must develop to ensure success. 

1. Communication is Key

It’s no surprise that efficient, persuasive communication is critical to success as a leader. Not only will aspiring leaders need to effectively convey their ideas, but they will also be required to know when to listen. Active listening is a crucial, yet often overlooked aspect of communication that leaders will need to lean on in order to come up with new ideas, creative solutions, and nuanced negotiations.

2. Know When to Delegate

Managers and supervisors often receive more than the lion’s share of responsibilities. However, competent leaders know when to ask for help. They understand the balance between teamwork and independent learning. That’s why managers are often expected to teach and mentor their team.  Delegating tasks based on a team members’ strengths makes leaders appear decisive and thoughtful among their colleagues.

3. Be Open to Change

Even if a leader believes they have the best solution, they remain flexible to schedule changes, new ideas, and different perspectives. They empathize with their team and can roll with the punches when things don’t go as planned. This also means that leaders acknowledge their mistakes and provide an open channel of communication for their team.

4. Stay Ahead of the Curve

What separates a good manager from a great one is the ability to innovate. Great managers and supervisors are constantly thinking of ways to boost their company’s bottom dollar and improve the efficacy of their team. They think one step ahead, anticipating potential issues as well as opportunities for improvement.

For environmental managers, this can mean finding creative ways to minimize waste and recycle hazardous chemicals to lower storage, transport, and disposal costs. For hazardous materials shippers, staying ahead of the curve means keeping an eye on changing transportation technologies and regulations, understanding the reliefs and exclusions included in the Hazardous Material Regulations (HMR), and more. 

5. Inspire Others

Leaders are key motivators within their organization. They know how to drive people to do their best and inspire others to be their best selves at work. Therefore, leaders also know how to foster positive, professional relationships and are experts in team building. They understand that the best teams encourage each other even when conflicts arise.

New Online Course: Introduction to Supervision and Leadership

To empower industry professionals to take on the challenge of leadership, Lion Technology recently launched the Introduction to Supervision & Leadership online course.

This course prepares professionals to take the next step within their organization by teaching them leadership terminology, budgeting skills, and supervisory best practices. Industry professionals will learn common-sense human resource practices for hiring and releasing personnel as well.

The course is designed for working professionals who need the flexibility and convenience of online learning to fit training into their busy schedules. New leaders, future leaders, or experienced leaders will all leave this course with a solid foundation of human resources knowledge, and more confidence to lead their team to achieve any business objective.

Open Enrollment Starts Now

The new Introduction to Supervision & Leadership online HR course is available now for $29.
Learn more about the course here or call (888) 546-6511 to sign up today.
 

Tags: employer, HR, Human Resources, leader, leadership, manager, supervisor