Tip to Be a good Leader

Tip to be a great leader

You might think of great leaders and some names pop up: Kamala Harris (Steve Jobs), Elon Musk, Sheryl Sandersberg, Ariana Hutington, Sheryl Sandberg.

What was it that made them so special?

Is there a secret way to be a great leader?

Oder it could be possible that these leaders are rare exceptions, so gifted that they transcend the bounds of mortality?

It is possible to become a great leader with the right motivation and support. Many of the greatest leaders began as ordinary people. They had to learn to lead.

We'll help you learn how to be a great leader to improve your leadership skills.

It all begins with the question:

What's the difference between a great and a good leader?

This question can only be answered if we address a common misconception: Leaders vs Managers.

What is the difference?

Manager is a title that refers to a top-ranking position within an organization. It's a top down approach to management versus a bottom up approach.

What does a leader do, on the other?

Of course, lead.

While all leaders can be considered managers, not all managers can be called leaders.

People can't always choose their manager but can choose who they follow.

Understanding that leadership is much more than a job is the first step in becoming a great leader. The next step is to make the conscious decision that you are someone who is worth following.

A leader is someone who has exceptional emotional intelligence.

Simon Sinek once stated, "Leaders often become so worried about their status and position in the organization that they forget their true job." The real job of a leader doesn't involve being in charge. It's about taking care those under our command."

What makes a leader great?

Good leaders know how to inspire people to do extraordinary things. They are able to understand the process and get the best out of people who look up to them for guidance.

Take, for example:

Regular leaders set goals. Leaders who are great at inspiring others with their visions and ideas will be remembered.

Leaders who are consistently optimistic about the future are a great example of this. Leaders who are successful in inspiring optimism in others are great leaders. They are pragmatic thinkers who can see the big picture as well as the finer details.

Most leaders remain stuck in the status quo. Great leaders challenge the status quo and see new ways to create and deliver value.

Leaders who are consistent focus on getting people to commit to them. Great leaders understand that in order to win people's commitment, they need to ignite passion. They must show them why following them will help them achieve their goals.

You must ask yourself these questions to transform from a leader of good quality into a great one.

Do I really and truly do my best?

What are my top areas for improvement?

How can I create a vision that is more meaningful and inspires my team?

What can I do better to understand the needs of my people?

What are my people looking for from me?

Answering these questions will give you valuable insight into what steps to take.

What is leadership?

We all have our own leadership qualities.

You must be able to lead, whether you are parenting, leading a team, managing a department or running a company. You must lead your team, family, department or corporation well and thoughtfully.

If you believe that the trend towards flat organizations and employee empowerment makes leaders less important, then think again. Humans are dependent on hierarchy. Leadership is more important in distributed and flat structures that have fewer formal levels. Without leadership, it is impossible for a group to survive long.

This is why the question is not "Am i a leader?" But "Am i a great leader?". The real question is "Am a I the best leader I can be for the situation?"

You will have more leadership skills and behavior to choose from. Great leadership is possible only when it's not about you and you stop thinking about being great.

Employees are increasingly aware of the importance leadership in a globalized economy. They also have higher expectations for the leader they choose to follow.

It is not optional to develop strong interpersonal and collaboration skills if you want to make a career out of your life.

Six benefits of exceptional leadership

Let's now discuss the importance of outstanding leadership.

Employees are more committed: Leaders who have a vision that helps them achieve their professional and personal goals will get people to follow suit.

Increase productivity: Employees who feel happy both mentally and emotionally work harder and are more proactive.

You can nurture future leaders by knowing your core team. This will help you identify potential leaders as early as possible.

Create a cohesive team. A great leader is what keeps your team together and working towards a common goal.

Encourage meaningful work and relationships: Effective leadership goes beyond leading people. It's about giving purpose, the pursuit of a noble ideal.

Employee engagement can be increased: Most people don't leave a job; they just quit their boss. Employee retention and engagement will be increased if leaders empower their employees.

How can you be a great leader?

You may be wondering how to become an outstanding leader at this stage. To be honest, it's a lot like being a parent. There is no guideline or step-by-step method.

Let's not forget to mention some tips to help you get started.

Start with the inside

Great leaders manage themselves. You must first know yourself before you can manage others. Leaders who are great at understanding their motivations and where there is the most potential for growth and learning are known to be great leaders. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses is a good place to begin.

To find out where your strengths and weaknesses are, you can start by doing a self-audit. What are your learning methods? What is your communication style? Do you listen, write, or communicate by doing? Are you more comfortable working with small groups or large ones? Do you prefer cohesion or tension?

Ask your friends and colleagues to help you.

Some helpful questions include:

What are my strengths What are my strengths?

What is my greatest skill?

What are my weak points? You can't count on me for what?

These questions will help you determine the leadership style that best suits your personality.

Your employees deserve your appreciation

It's not always easy to know yourself.

You must also know your people to manage and lead them.

It will be difficult to gain a commitment from someone if you don't understand their motivations, values and beliefs.

This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to be close friends with your employees. This would be not only difficult, but also unproductive.

Sometimes, it is enough to listen carefully.

Employees want to feel valued by the company. A little appreciation of employees can make a big difference.

Harvard Business Review research shows that 40% of employees would be more productive if they were acknowledged.

Make your employees feel valued and appreciated. They will return the favor.

Find a mentor

My grandma used to tell me once that you can only grow wise if you learn from the experiences of others.

There's always more to learn.

You should look for someone who has experienced the same challenges as you and has more knowledge in your field.

Finding a mentor or coach can be a shortcut to success.

Learning from mentors will also teach you how mentor others.

Be a team player

Michael Jordan once stated that talent wins games but teamwork and intelligence win championships.

He's right.

You don't matter how great a manager or smart and talented you may be, if all you do is try to do it all yourself, you will burn out. Delegating work is a core skill of any great leader.

How can you be a team player at work?

All it takes is the intention.

You will gain trust by being open-minded and reliable, and celebrating the success of your peers.

It'll be easier to create a team that is cohesive and gets the job done efficiently once they trust you.

Prioritize a specific goal

People do not always follow the same person. Many people follow a mission.

Sarah Greenberg, BetterUp author and coach, puts it this way:

To support a strong sense o purpose in your team, it is important to ensure that your actions as an organisation align with a greater, more worthwhile mission. Your team should also be able to offer opportunities for their members to find a purpose beyond themselves. This can be self-directed and based on intrinsic motivation.

You must set clear and tangible goals that are worth following in order to lead others.

To be a leader, you must first understand your primary goal -- what is your priority?

Remember that I didn't say "priorities", but "priority".

It is impossible to have multiple priorities, particularly if you are in a leadership role.

Southwest Airlines, for example, is "the low-fare airline".

Someone asked Herb Kelleher (co-founder and CEO of Southwest Airlines) to reveal his secrets to managing his business.

He replied, "We are the low cost airline." This fact will allow you to make the best decision possible about the company's future.

Then he added:

Let's suppose that someone in the marketing department suggests to you that passengers might enjoy a chicken salad on their trip. What would you do?

Kelleher responded because the person didn’t know the answer.

Will a chicken salad make us the low-fare airline?" We won't serve any chicken salad if it doesn’t."

Because Southwest Airlines employees understand the priority, they know how to make decisions.

You must communicate clearly and define your priorities to build a team that is effective.

Get your hands dirty

Humility is the lubricant that reduces friction within a group. Being humble is as simple as getting your hands dirty.

Be an example.

Never ask your employee to do anything you wouldn't do.

Before asking for a favor, serve people, listen to others' ideas, be open-minded and willing to make mistakes.

Leaders who are humble are respected by the people.

What are the daily challenges of being a leader?

Every leader will face challenges at some point.

Gallup research shows that 70% of variance in team engagement can be attributed to the manager.

Surveys show that 58% of managers have never been trained in leadership skills before they are promoted.

What does all this mean?

Leadership is a big responsibility.

People will expect that you are ready to go, even if your training is not completed.

You must be able to lead people well. Recognize the difficulties of middle management and leadership. Prepare yourself for them.

These are just a few of the challenges.

Building trust with your employees

An old study found that employees trust strangers better than their bosses.

Although I am not certain if this statement is true, we can't deny that it is difficult to earn someone's trust -- especially if they have had bad experiences in their past.

And it requires time.

You need to share a couple of experiences with your employees before they start to trust you. And, often, losing that trust is easier than earning it.

As a leader, you must take building trust within your team seriously.

Dealing with pressure and stress

Making decisions is one of the core duties of any great leader.

And some of these decisions will be tough — firing people, choosing between two great candidates for a specific role, or moving an employee to a different department because they’re no longer performing well.

Sometimes, people will get mad at you.

Other times, you’ll have to make the decision under tons of pressure.

So, this is something you must embrace and learn to deal with. As a leader, dealing with your own stress management at work is important.

Make time for your own self-care, not just that our your team.

Managing difficult people

Being a leader doesn’t mean people will always like you, and vice versa. You’ll deal with employees who don’t share your values and who resist following directions. But great leaders don’t avoid conflict, they deal with this friction and learn to communicate clearly.

Your employee who is difficult or won’t follow directions is an important source of information, either about your own management style or about the customer or product. Don’t squander the opportunity to learn from someone who disagrees. They might be motivated by a passion for making a bigger impact. They might have a different perspective or hold the clue for a new approach that will drive value for the company.

These gifts don’t always come in pleasant packaging. That’s why developing solid interpersonal skills is crucial for an exceptional leader.

7 characteristics of great leaders

Now, even though there are many styles of leadership, all great leaders share specific traits.

Let’s break some of them down:

Good listeners: good leaders know that listening is the key to great communication, so they always prioritize listening over talking.

Constant learners: effective leaders always seek to learn from other people’s experiences — whether it’s from books, courses, and mentors, they’re always learning. In short, cultivating a growth mindset is crucial to being an effective leader.

Service-driven: good leaders know that to influence people is to help them achieve what they want, so they start by serving others before asking for something.

Healthy: great leaders understand that to make their greatest contribution, they must take care of their body and mental fitness, which is essential to staying productive.

Accountable: leaders don't blame others for the decisions they make and they own whatever results.

Focused: good leaders understand what is most important and channel their efforts to it.

Empathetic and compassionate: effective leaders are emotionally wise and care about helping people in specific ways.

Now, keep in mind this isn’t a comprehensive list of all the characteristics of great leaders, but it includes some of the main ones.

To learn further, we suggest you read some of these BetterUp guides:

Decisions that will make you a leader

5 Key Leadership Behaviors You Must Have

10 Core Values of a Great Leader

Ready to become a great leader?

Being a leader isn’t about giving orders, or getting compliance, and not even about building one-on-one relationships with employees.

Being a great leader is all about building a solid culture — one that helps the team grow and fulfill its true potential.

Not because they have to, but because they want to — because they’re committed to your cause.

Yes, it’ll be hard.

Yes, you’ll face a myriad of challenges.

Yes, you’ll make sacrifices — tons of them.

But in the end, it’ll all be worth it.