With many schools of thought on leadership, are various definitions, and types of leadership. However, leadership is centered around one’s ability to influence/motivate others to achieve a certain objective. In order to do so with impact, here are some useful tips below.
It becomes important for leaders to lead by example and model good behaviour.
Introspect – Leadership begins with leading oneself
Leaders have the responsibility for their team’s function and delivery and in most cases, are looked up to as role models. It becomes important for leaders to lead by example and model good behavior. Self-leadership is about minding one’s thoughts, feelings, and actions, which is crucial as a leader’s attitude and emotions can easily rub off those around them, therefore, taking responsibility for leading oneself is simply a must for success.
Focus, consistency, and ability to inspire
The primary function of leadership is to direct attention. This entails being mindful of important elements and filtering out destructions. Leaders need to be able to focus on organizational goals, their teams, and the outside world. A focused leader come across as empathic, involved and less likely to be deemed as clueless and aloof. Great leadership is associated with consistency in words and action. This is a great way of fostering trust in relations, building a good reputation and getting the team’s buy-in. Effective leadership comes with inspirational ability. Leaders should be able to inspire their team to do great things, for example, painting the big picture for the team and inspiring them to do what it takes to achieve the goal.
Transparency, confidence, and decisiveness
When a leader is transparent, they are less likely to be challenged by those they lead. Transparency helps team members embrace change. Transparent leaders encourage open communication, shared decision making and generally inform their team of how a decision was taken, especially those that affect the team. A good leader presents as self-assured and embodies confidence. A confident leader is not afraid to take risks, takes action in the face of ambiguity, keeps an optimistic view and keeps their cool in stressful situations. A good leader weighs a decision carefully and decides on an action plan, however, they are not easily put off course by uncertainty and any stumbling blocks along the way.
Constructive feedback and continuous learning
Negative feedback can be a source of growth and improvement as so should not be shunned.
Effective managers embrace negative feedback from stakeholders, and they are in turn able to provide feedback to their subordinates in a constructive manner. Negative feedback can be a source of growth and improvement as so should not be shunned. Learning is an ongoing process and successful leaders are open to knowledge and new possibilities.
Be a path to success and enjoy it!
Opportunities for growth are desirable and strengthen the team. Leaders should embark on a conscious process of developing talents and competencies within individuals so that they can work more effectively together. Leadership is often challenging but rewarding all the same. It is important not to catastrophize but enjoy the journey, as there is a link between positivity, productivity, and work engagement, so have fun!
Written by Grace Gotha