How to Go from the Leader You are to the Leader You Want to Be * Incedo Group

How to Go from the Leader You are to the Leader You Want to Be

You want to be the best leader you can be, yes? I would be surprised if you said no.

While no one is born with amazing leadership skills, skills worthy of a statue or an award, these may all be learned over time. Everyone is a leader to some degree; some may be leading an entire company, others a high school class, or maybe just a handful of people… but just the same, there will always be people who look up to you for guidance.

Being a leader is no easy feat; people are constantly looking at you, expecting more and better from you—and if you think about it, even you have such high expectations of yourself.

The big question is:

How do you go from “the leader that you are now” to being the “leader that you want to be”?

Here are a few quick tips!

Do not intimidate people

Many leaders like the feeling of being able to intimidate others with their title and presence. But a good leader makes people feel safe and at ease to speak out their mind. The ability to encourage people to make suggestions, and ask good follow-up questions, is one of the most important leadership skills to develop.

Set an example

Don’t just sit behind your desk and watch people work; leaders must set the example for the rest to follow. Get up and start acting on your goals, no matter how great your plans are, nothing will happen unless you get up and act on them. The passion you set for the team will be the standard they will try to meet. So, set the standard high and be the role model they will follow.

Work towards a vision

Make sure the entire team understands the team’s bigger vision. Don’t just work aimlessly; the team must have a clear vision in mind and a clear cut work to contribute to the rest.

Empower people

A great leader realizes that he cannot do everything on his own. You need to learn how to delegate and empower your team to take on responsibilities and maximize their strengths to benefit the entire team.

Reward good performers

Motivate people to keep working hard by rewarding and recognizing their hard work and good performance. Find ways to reward them for going the extra mile to meet goals and deadlines. Never take people and the work they pour in for granted. Sometimes even a simple word of acknowledgement goes a long way in inspiring people to do even better.

Ask for honest feedback

This is perhaps the most important tip here. Every month, ask your team to fill up an anonymous feedback form (preferably online), where they can rate your skills as their boss. Ask them to rate your communication skills, coaching skills, and even the way you motivate them. Ask open ended questions as well, where team members can share anything they feel is important to you.

Great leaders are able to bring in an atmosphere of positivity to the workplace. Use your leadership skills to create a culture wherein people are inspired and motivated to work with each other and collaborate to achieve goals. Encourage respect and loyalty among each one. A positive workplace and staff who are inspired can achieve even the hardest goals together.