Do you remember any leaders who inspired you throughout your life and you always dreamt of becoming one, like them? Then why not assess your strengths and areas for improvement to fulfil your dream?
It is a known fact that such leaders share some common personality traits, habits and characteristics. Therefore, ask yourself the questions below to understand what you already possess and how you should improve, in order to become more like those great personalities.
Let’s start with being innovative and strategic!
Being ahead of others, and managing your TIME, is critical to succeed as a leader. You should be able to anticipate and foresee the challenges as well as opportunities that may come your way. That’s not enough. You should be good at making timely decisions with an innovative and creative mindset, resulting in practical, effective solutions.
This is a characteristic common to any successful leader you’ll come across in your life. Hence, make sure you develop your strategic-thinking skills and that you make sound and timely decisions.
Second, the ability to communicate your vision with your team
It is very important to keep your team updated about your decisions and it is your job to communicate your vision to your team. This means it is essential to have good communication skills if you really want to inspire people with your leadership. Communication does not mean one-way communication. It is very important to listen to your team as much as possible and take their ideas into consideration as well. Two-way communication makes everything better and easier.
Okay, now the team knows where you want to go. But are you keeping them motivated enough for them to engage in their work effectively?
It is very important for your followers to believe in you and your decisions. It is high time that you ask yourself whether people follow your advice. Do you think you’re known for your confidence and a positive attitude? Do you think people have faith in you for your resilience and endurance? Are you helping them maintain the energy, shared vision and passion to go with you on this journey? If yes, they will walk alongside you wholeheartedly. But you have to maintain balance by seeking feedback and opportunities to improve, and taking responsibility for your decisions and actions.
Are you authentic and honest?
To be a great leader, you must gain the skills that make people want to follow you and one of those skills is gaining their trust and faith. In order to do so, it is essential for you to always be consistent in your actions and behavior. Hence, before expecting their loyalty, ask yourself how loyal you are to them and whether you are willing to stand by your team when the going gets tough. Being fair is also part of the package you signed up for. This will keep employees happy and properly guided, while having the reassurance of an impartial leader. Simply put, LEAD BY EXAMPLE!
Finally, keep your third eye open!
It is your duty to develop others. Making use of your third eye will effortlessly develop this skill. Always try to understand what your team is capable of. As you already know, the ideas and opinions of others can be very creative – usually more than yours! It’s been said many times that as a leader you’re making a mistake if you’re the smartest person in the room. Hence seek these talents and make use of them. Always believe in your team! If you are interested in becoming an ‘empowering leader’, we suggest reading The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness by Stephen Covey.
Do you find these difficult or hard to follow? The answer is an obvious NO.
Then hurry and use these tips to keep your team working happily and productively, and for you to achieve your desired objectives in your career path as well as in your personal life.
