23/01/2015
10 Ways to Become a Better Leader
10 Ways to Become a Better Leader
How would you describe a strong leader? Qualities such as assertiveness, adaptability, intelligence and conscientiousness are the most important. Leaders who are positive, inspiring, and who empower and develop followers are better leaders, they are more valued by followers and have higher performing teams.
So what can you do embrace these characteristics and become a better leader? Leader are usually described as enthusiastic, passionate, genuine and energetic. These leaders are not just concerned about helping the group achieve its goals, they also care about helping each member of the group reach his or her full potential.
Consider some of the following tips for how to become a better leader and think about ways that you can implement these strategies in your daily life.
1. Understanding your current leadership style is essential.
What are your strengths? Which areas need some improvement? One way to start assessing your skills is to take this leadership style quiz to get a general idea of how you lead.
2. Encourage Creativity
Intellectual stimulation is one of the hallmarks of leadership. Followers need to be encouraged to express their creativity. Effective leaders should offer new challenges with ample support to achieve these goals.
3. Serve As a Role Model
Idealized influence is another of the four key components of leadership. Leaders exemplify the behaviors and characteristics that they encourage in their followers. They walk the walk and talk the talk. As a result, group members admire these leaders and work to emulate these behaviors.
4. Be Passionate
Great leaders are not just focused on getting group members to finish tasks, they have a genuine passion and enthusiasm for the projects they work on. Let people know that you care about their progress. When one person shares something with the rest of the group, be sure to tell them how much you appreciate such contributions.
5. Listen and Communicate Effectively
Another important characteristic of leadership involves a focus on providing one-on-one communication with group members. Good leaders should express sincere care and concern for the members of their group both verbally and nonverbally. By keeping the lines of communication open, these leaders can ensure that group members feel able to make contributions and receive recognition for their achievements.
6. Have a Positive Attitude
Leaders have an upbeat, optimistic attitude that serves as a source of inspiration for followers. If leaders seem discouraged or apathetic, members of the group are likely to also become uninspired. Even when things look bleak and your followers start to feel disheartened, try to stay positive, It simply means maintaining a sense of optimism and hope in the face of challenges.
7. Encourage People to Make Contributions
Let the members of your team know that you welcome their ideas, encourage team members to take an active role in coming up with ideas and plans.
8. Motivate Your Followers
Leaders also provide inspirational motivation to encourage their followers to get into action. Of course, being inspirational isn't always easy. Some ideas for leadership inspiration include being genuinely passionate about ideas or goals, helping followers feel included in the process and offering recognition, praise and rewards for people's accomplishments.
9. Offer Rewards and Recognition
A good leader knows that offering effective recognition and rewards is one of the best ways to help followers feel appreciated and happy. It may also come as no surprise that happy people tend to perform better at work.
10. Keep Trying New Things
Who says leadership is a one-way relationship? As you work toward honing your leadership skills, don't forget to look to your followers for feedback. Pay attention to the things that have been effective in the past and always be on the lookout for new ways to inspire, motivate and reward group members.
Reference : Kendra Cherry
UMG Cambodia