There are a variety of reasons you should want to be a great leader. Whether it’s for your career, your family, or just for you in general, leadership is a great way to take charge of your life and put you on a path to achieve your goals. Now, many believe some people are just natural-born leaders. That may be true, but even if you weren’t one of these “natural born leaders,” you too can still learn how to be a great leader.
Lead by Example:
Leaders don’t just talk the talk, they walk the walk too. It’s your job to lead by example. Anyone is capable of shouting out orders and telling others what to do, but, a good leader will show you how to do it. They won’t be afraid to get into the thick of things and work alongside their subordinates when they need it. Be the model of the expectations you have for those you’re leading.
Build Trust:
Nobody will follow a leader that they don’t trust. Building trust is a crucial part of being a great leader. Take time to get to know those you’re leading. If it’s in a work situation, spend time having conversations with your team. If it’s your family, spend time talking and participating in activities with your family members. Don’t just be available for open communication, encourage it. Show those you lead that you value their input and always give them credit for their contributions.
Be Adaptable:
A point that should always be made when talking about leadership is that you have to be adaptive and flexible as a leader. Sometimes, things don’t go according to plan. This is when you must be flexible. Whether it’s a task at work or something you did as a parent that didn’t yield the results you were hoping for, being adaptive and flexible will allow you to adjust to those you’re leading. Not everyone will respond positively to the same leadership styles. In fact, some are more motivated by different styles than others. This doesn’t have to hold your team back, be adaptive and make the necessary adjustments to help everyone stay motivated.
Stay Positive:
As a leader, people are looking up to you. Leading with a positive attitude will yield more positive results. If there is a problematic situation, try to look at the glass half-full, rather than half-empty. A trick to making this work is to point out the good things during a bad situation. Don’t only do this yourself, but have those you’re leading do the same. Have you and those you’re leading identify a few good things before discussing the problem. Once you’ve done this, discuss the problem by focusing on solutions to it.
Don’t Micro-manage:
This is a key aspect of building trust, but it’s so important it gets its own section. Micromanaging is generally a negative way to lead. For those you’re leading to feel trusted, you need to let them have the freedom to accomplish things in their own way. Giving them this freedom builds trust and inspires creativity. Nobody likes having someone watch every little move they make. You’re not there to control, you’re there to inspire, motivate, and assist.