6 Things Successful Leaders Do — And So Should You!
Leadership is fascinating. At least for all those who aspire to become a leader one day.
Whether or not you admit but there is a keen desire to lead inside each one of us. Of course, leadership is overwhelming and that’s what keep most people away from it.
If you decode the basics of effective leadership, you would realize that it’s not burdensome. In fact, the real definition of leadership is far away from what we have been told or listening to from the longest time.
Here are some leadership tips for both newbies and veteran leaders to become a better leader.
1. Walk the talk
If you’re a leader, all eyes are always on you. Your team members, juniors, and seniors are always paying attention to what you’re doing and what you’re not.
If you want employees to come on time but you’ve been punching-in late yourself, it would be hard for you to inculcate a proper work culture in the office. Not everyone is a born leader. Some start their journey by following others. So, you have to lead by example and do things the way leaders do in order to be seen as one.
Marshall Goldsmith once said, “Those who lead by example and demonstrate the passion for what they do make it much easier for their followers to do the same.”
2. Let employees in your vision
According to Simon Sinek, an author, and motivational speaker, great leaders must have two things — a vision of the world that does not yet exist and the ability to communicate that vision clearly. I couldn’t agree more to him.
Once you know your vision and what you want, let your team members know about it. Be as clear as possible and leave no room for confusion and doubts. Once they’ve understood your vision, it would be much easier for you and them to work together to achieve that vision. Always remember that a great leader would always let employees in his/her vision.
3. Build on strengths
To become successful, you need to be well aware of your strengths and weaknesses and of your team as well. If you can leverage the pluses of your team in the right way, you can multiply the chances of your success in a big way.
Your strengths give you an opportunity to distinguish yourself when you pay attention to areas of strength and strategize in a way where you get a chance to play mostly on your strengths and hiding your weaknesses. That said, don’t forget to improve your weaknesses by keep working on it to get an edge over others.
4. Go from ME to WE
The most basic rule of leadership is to put the needs of others beyond your own. A good leader is someone who thinks of his team members first and takes responsibility backed with proper action to make things easier for them.
The first step is to know your team members in a personal capacity. Be friends with them. Get to know about their aspirations. If Sarah has been coming late in the morning, you should know that being a single parent, she has to drop her kid to school first and then come to the office. The best thing you can do is to be cooperative and help her in all your capacity. The moment you start thinking about your team members first, you are already thinking like a leader.
An effective leader will always act responsibly towards the people he is leading. If you ever lose empathy and concern for the people you’re leading, you’re not being a true leader.
5. Nurture team members to future leaders
Not everyone is born with leadership skills but if there’s even a little bit of potential, it’s your duty to equip your team members with the right knowledge and skill-set to make them a leader in the future.
As per a survey, around 80 percent of executive believe lack of leadership capability negatively impacts the company performance. If you’re already in a leadership position, make it a priority to develop new leaders, nurture existing managers to future leaders, and even hire new leaders if possible. Give these people the required tools, resources, and guidance to successfully tread that path.
Always remember that a true leader doesn’t create followers, he creates more leaders.
6. Be aware of your posture
One can easily spot future-leaders and people already in leadership positions with just the way they conduct themselves. From their posture to clothes to hairstyle to shoes — everything is on point. Make sure you stand tall with chest out and feet equally apart from one another.
Leaders don’t slouch, so shouldn’t you. Their back rests comfortably when they sit on a chair. Make sure your body language is neither too intimidating nor too timid. It should be assertive yet welcoming.
The posture and body language determine whether you would be seen as a leader or not. Be mindful of them.
Last few words
I am sure and hopeful that the above points will suit you to discover the leader inside you. Below are some more pointers that might help, let’s check them out:
- Start by discovering your leadership style
- Be passionate
- Listen and communicate effectively
- Develop an upbeat and optimistic attitude
- Be open to new things, ideas, and approaches
- Keep assessing yourself on a regular basis
Lastly, there is no one-size-fits-all leadership template. You have to start developing your own style but you can always take inspiration from others. The challenge is to know when to stick with a particular and when to adapt to a new one.
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