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One of the biggest misconceptions about leadership is the idea that it’s, somehow, a trait and not a skill. You see, while it is true that this comes more naturally to some, great leaders are not born, they are made. There are certain abilities, that make one into a great leader and these skills can be worked on and improved in order to boos one’s leadership skill. With that in mind, here are several tips to help you become a much better leader.
1. Start caring more
Everyone would agree that a true leader is charismatic. That being said, Robert Breault once stated that charisma is nothing more than a fancy name given to the knack of giving people your full attention. He also said that it’s not just about saying hello, it’s dropping whatever you’re doing to say hello. In other words, you need to show interest in what your subordinates are saying and doing. The easiest way to do is to master the art of active listening. Nonetheless, it’s also incredibly important that you memorize what they’re saying. Pretending that you’re paying attention is both insulting and inefficient. It will be figured out next time you’re unable to recollect the content of your last conversation.
2. Show passion
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This particular aspect is something that simply can’t be faked and it is, also, something that you just can’t do without. If it becomes evident to your team that you aren’t really trying that hard, it will be quite hard to expect them to do the same. Fortunately, passion is a concept closely related to motivation. There are a lot of tips and tricks to help yourself get motivated to work hard, regardless of your mood.
3. Find professional assistance
The next thing you need to do is find professional assistance, in the form of a mentoring program, course or an organization providing these services. A plan, curriculum or a program can make your acquisition of skill-relevant knowledge more systemic and, therefore, much more effective. This is why experts behind The Impossible Institute split this into thought leadership, leadership development and leading change. These three methods are there to ensure you get the result you need.
4. Put your staff first
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One of the biggest mistakes that a leader can make is to put their clients before their own staff (every single time). No, the customer is not always right and by taking their side when they’re clearly wrong, your team will feel betrayed, undervalued and outright neglected. Instead, you need to put your staff first and show them that they have your full support and protection. This will make them both trust and respect you, which are the two most important things for inspiring loyalty.
5. Don’t hold a personal grudge
Remember to let things go. Sure, office conflicts occur for various reasons and every single one of your employees is bound to make a mistake at one point in their career. It’s all about your ability to let it go and not think about it or mention it past one point. Holding a grudge will create an unpleasant atmosphere and portray you as unprofessional and biased in the eyes of your employees. By showing that you can forget and forgive or just get over things, you’ll also show that you’re a much bigger person than some of your employees expected you to be.
In conclusion
As you can see, by just following these five suggestions you would become a much better leader. Nonetheless, doing so takes more than just a resolution. It takes active training and continuous effort to develop, hone and implement these skills into your patterns of behavior. Still, those who want to become great leaders don’t really have a choice on this matter.