Understanding how to orchestrate and maintain objectives and stay on task. Before you can become a leader you must understand and build a foundation of leadership standards. Is your goal C-Level management? Will you inspire others to want to think for themselves and follow your direction? In order to become a thought-leader you must learn what it means to be one.
Leader vs. Manager-Learn the difference. Many who can manage daily tasks assume they are ready to lead. Good management reveals a person’s ability to stay on topic, reliable in a pinch. In juxtaposition, a leader by definition has major managerial skills but the key element here: you have to have the ability to lead people.
The tone of this role is not simply to command. The savvy to guide, teach, instruct and correct when needed. Cohesively doing so recommends a balance of skills.
Another element left to fend for itself: Inspiration. Leaders must aspire to inspire. So what you say carries concise structure without micromanagement. There is a nominal difference between being in control and under control. Wanton obedience means listen and obey. Strong leadership means what you have taught sees fruition.
Build Trust-Those around you have great expectations. Everyone listening to you may not become your best friend but they want, no need, someone they trust. When working with others honestly, the support sharpens. People gain confidence in you, respecting your opinion.
Realistic guidelines will help reduce any trepidation associated with your role as leader. Take advantage of teaching tools your company offers. Seek external support for your business model. Share and solicit ideas thereby allowing for flexibility on execution of tasks. This critical step opens the door to improved dialogue, creating a positive, shared environment.
While many industries have forsaken honesty as rudimentary, don’t believe the hype. Peer engagement involves your accountability in truthfully assessing and maintaining the needs and safety of those working with you. Put your money where your mouth is by keeping it real.
Learn To Listen-Since Texting’s emergence, we tend to express ourselves in abbreviated terms. Within seconds we have responses before complete, proper conveyance is diagnosed. Have an actual person-to-person meeting and just listen. Our conjecture should be well thought out. Not based on reactive assumptions.
Much is miscommunicated by these methods, albeit convenient. Be aware that certain subject matter requires face time. Being a good listener means you choose your statements wisely as they are based facts as presented. This insures and protects time lost on recovery. Key point: You can either be a good hearer or a good listener. One hears voices the other hears words.
Understand Your Role-The role of a thought-leader is to evoke innovations. If you are seeking such a role be ready to accept the responsibility that accompanies it. The basics of the daily or weekly plan are a given. Thought-leaders though, need to be more than perfunctory. They should have the energy and forthrightness to be the creator.
Write out a mantra you believe in and live by on a daily basis because it will make it easier to remember and follow through on. Post it so others see it as this will give basis for assurance that you mean what you say. Reinforce it with actions that speak for themselves. Hypocritical movement or speech jeopardizes good efforts.
Have A Vision-Famous Fashion designer Ralph Lauren was quoted as saying, “A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.” While this point has been touched on, the relevance of repetition is clearly valuable. We have it in our power to achieve greatness.
There is no need to ride the coattails of others because we stand on perfectly solid ground all on our own. Success does not come from how many projects see the light but from the path chosen to birth the idea in the first place.
Own the challenges, highs and lows. Boundaries for your greatness can only be held back because you gave up or gave in. Worrying and stewing over what others’ perceptions of you are will not help thought-life capabilities.
We all make millions of decisions. Each of us earns kudos for our role in keeping the ebb and flow of our ever changing society. So call it what you want but at the end of the day you are a leader.