Are you recently promoted? Do you plan to set up a venture and lead it flawlessly? In either case, you don’t want to sit silently at your desk and wonder what good leadership entails. You remember reading somewhere that good leaders are born and not made. Contemplating over it, you sulk a little more in your chair.
Leaders are the backbone of an organization. They drive their people to produce better and more effective results. A good leader leads from the front and does not merely dictate orders. Leadership skills are vast, and let us break it to you; they are acquirable. Just like John F. Kennedy said, “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” Therefore, we ask you not to fuss and read further because we have the answer which will solve all your doubts!
Here we have a list of the seven most fruitful ways you can become a fantastic leader in today’s modern era:
- BE A MENTOR AND NOT A BOSS:
We all detest bosses, do not we? We all have our reasons, that is true, but have you ever wondered why generally bosses are hated and not looked up to respectfully? Mainly, if you ask around, it is not the boss that people hate but the attitude. Nobody likes to get bullied into working or commanded to meet a specific deadline. We often think that strictly conveying our orders will get the job done, but we are sorry to break it you; it is counterproductive.
Motivated employees tend to work better and come up with more creative solutions. On the other hand, under pressure and stressed out, employees only meet deadlines. Organizations that look beyond the basics tend to realize this. You need something more than just being a bratty boss to your subordinates.
- EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION:
It sounds cliched but effective communication is the key to every successful relationship. If you want to become a star leader, then you need to learn to communicate effectively. One mistake we often make is only to hear and not listen. Listening means to understand what the other person is trying to explain to you.
Furthermore, an apt leader needs to have an open discussion with their team. They should know how to convey their goals and vision to their juniors and ask for feedback. You will ensure that your team is on the same page as you and does not resent your decisions or actions. Teaching communication skills is often an integral portion of any business administration course. If you wish to study leadership skills in-depth, consider enrolling in an on-campus or online master’s in management and leadership program.
- MOTIVATE YOUR TEAM:
To push yourself out from bed in the morning after a rough day, you require a lot of motivation. When a situation turns sore, the only thing you want to do is sink in bed and sleep the entire day. There will be numerous occasions where your juniors will feel demotivated and demoralized. A leader’s job is to reach out and encourage them! You can utilize some ways to inspire your followers to enact a reward system and frequently drop compliments whenever someone on your team performs well.
- DO NOT FEAR FAILURES:
Do you believe that every famous leader today got successful at their first shot? Failure is part and parcel of trying. Whenever you attempt something innovative, dicey, or great, you should prepare yourself for losses. The only way to avoid failing is to never to do anything at all. And we are pretty sure that is not what you are aiming at ever. Therefore, one major part of becoming a good leader is to accept failure with an open heart.
However, never ignore letdowns. Turn them as your stepping stones towards success. You can do this by analyzing where you went wrong and bearing in mind never to repeat the same mistake twice in your leadership journey. It is also the kind of philosophy your followers should learn by heart.
- FUEL INNOVATION:
If you want to become a successful entrepreneur or a remarkable leader, you should have a thirst for innovation. Often successful leaders dislike following standard solutions. Even though general solutions may get the task done, they do not focus on efficiency and continuous improvement. It would help if you encouraged your team always to find up-to-the-minute approaches to complete their studies.
- EXUDE PASSION:
As a leader, you are responsible for creating the work environment within your team. If you stay aloof and uninterested, it is highly likely that your team would also adopt similar behavior. Therefore, it is essential that you exude excitement and passion for the work and, likewise, enthuse your followers to stay that way too.
- ELIMINATE SELF-DOUBT AND FOCUS ON ACHIEVEMENTS:
Negative self-talk and doubting one’s capabilities is a hurdle in achieving goals and objectives. Such a behavior pushes you towards giving up easily. When you distrust your abilities, you label yourself incapable before even giving a try. It all starts in your head; what you give power to has power over you. If you choose to have a negative mindset, you will radiate negativity. Completely banish all the damaging self-talk, instead focus on being optimistic and energetic. The more upbeat you are, the better energy you will transfer onto your team.
CONCLUSION:
Becoming a leader is not everyone’s cup of tea. However, it is also not something that you cannot achieve with hard work. The key to success is to acquire the essential traits that are critical to becoming a leader. If you feel you lack some of these qualities, do not fret! All you have to do is focus on learning and adapting to the needs of the leadership role. Some of the traits mentioned can prove helpful in giving you a lead in your leadership journey!