Developing leadership skills is a lifetime commitment. While anyone can be placed in a leadership position, it takes practice and a bit of talent to excel at it. Therefore, it can be helpful to study the habits and techniques of great leaders to see how they operate.

Author Kevin Kruse was able to do that and published his findings in an article on the Forbes website entitled 10 Surprising Things Successful Leaders Do Differently. The first discovery on the list seems to flip a popular piece of advice on its head: Close the Open Door Policy.

Open door policies are passive ways to facilitate communication and do more harm than good. They make deep work and strategic thinking virtually impossible for the manager. Worse, research shows that half of all employees won’t go through the open door with problems or ideas because they fear repercussions. It’s time to close your door and open your calendar. Recurring, weekly one-on-one meetings are a far better way to proactively facilitate communication, and pre-scheduled “office hours.”

Another common perception that Kruse challenges is the idea of treating everyone the same. Instead, he believes that great leaders have favorites and treat them differently.

In a misguided attempt to be impartial and fair, too many managers treat all their team members the same. But it turns out that’s the most unfair thing we can do to people. And it’s the fastest way for you to lose top talent. Instead of treating everyone alike, you need to learn to individualize your leadership approach. You need to take the time to understand each of our team members when it comes to their: talent, experience, attitudes, strengths and goals. Then you play favorites, not based on who you like better, but based on who’s earned it.

To learn the other eight surprising things that successful leaders do differently, read the article on the Forbes website.

When was the last time you celebrated a small win?

Oftentimes we save our acknowledgement of success for big ticket items such as completing major projects or winning significant awards. For leaders, it is easy to dismiss small wins as simply our employees doing their jobs. Yet it is important to highlight success as it shows up in the moment in order to keep people excited and on task.

In a recent article on the Fast Company website, Ashley Cooksley, CEO North America of The Social Element made a strong case for celebrating small wins. This is especially true for rough fiscal times.

As business leaders, it’s easy to forget about the small things our teams do every day to keep the company moving forward. We face major challenges on a daily basis—and it’s fair to say that not every business ended last year on a high note financially. Budgets have been squeezed, and companies have been given a nearly impossible task of consolidating third-party partners while also finding efficiencies.

As leaders, we feel this pressure while doing as much as we can to shield our teams. This means we’re often tasked with finding moments worth celebrating, even when faced with some of the business’s largest challenges.

When celebrating these small wins, it is helpful to understand the motivations of team members and what they appreciate.

First, you must understand your employees enough to discover what truly drives and inspires them, and then acknowledge and celebrate their accomplishments accordingly. Tools like the DiSC personality test can help you grasp what motivates each individual as well as what brings them joy.

Some people seek titles, recognition, and visibility for their exceptional work within the company. Promotions even with a minimal pay increase can send the signal that you acknowledge their contributions, and importantly, that others will also notice their achievements. Meaningful shout-outs in front of the department or to the company will go a long way toward demonstrating that they’ve been seen and valued.

To learn more about how to honor small wins, please read the rest of the article.