Leaders are constantly looking for ways to become more effective, so that their companies can improve and grow over time. Luckily, leadership isn’t an innate skill—it is something that can be learned and improved over periods of time just like any other skill. If you are interested in learning how you can become a better leader and start getting more out of your co-workers, then keep reading for some key tips.

1. Focus on the positives

Nobody likes a leader that only focuses on the negatives. Too often, we associate the strong and successful executive with someone who berates their co-workers or who only focuses on what is going wrong. While improvement does mean acknowledging what is wrong and how you can improve it, you can’t only focus on the negatives. If you do, you will wear out your team and they will become more stressed and less effective. Instead, you should put the focus on your team’s positive qualities and what they do right. Uplift them by focusing on their strengths and how they can improve those strengths.

2. Actions are more effective than words

It is easy to get into the act of simply telling your co-workers how something should be done, but not actually doing anything about it yourself. Resist this. You can become a more effective leader by actually showing your co-workers how you want something done with your own actions. If you are concerned about time management, for example, make sure to set a great example of time management with your actions. Your co-workers don’t want to be told to do something and then see you do the opposite. They will sense the hypocrisy and that will breed resentment. Make sure that you embody the kind of employee you want your co-workers to be.

3. Get feedback from your team

Don’t be a leader who leads without the consent of their team. In order to get that vote of confidence from your team, you will need to consistently talk with them to gauge their needs, and in order to get valuable feedback. Getting feedback from your subordinates about your job doesn’t make you weak, it makes you thoughtful, and your employees will respect it and work harder for someone that they feel is looking out for them.

4. Make sure you are motivated and passionate about your job

It is easy to spot someone who is only doing a job for the paycheck. If that person is the leader of a team, that team isn’t going to be very motivated to do well. Make sure that you are motivated about your job and passionate about maximizing your abilities and the abilities of your team. A motivated leader can really inspire their team to achieve new successes.