How To Become A Good Leader ?
Leadership is a demanding role that involves bringing people together and motivating them to work towards a common goal. It’s not an easy task, as leaders face numerous responsibilities and immense pressure, knowing that many people rely on their guidance.
Leadership development is crucial for creating successful organizations. It involves understanding how leaders are usually chosen, identifying the qualities that make a leader effective, and finding ways to enhance your own leadership skills.
In essence, this post will delve into the processes and qualities that shape leaders and provide insights on how individuals can grow into more effective leaders. Developing strong leadership skills is vital for fostering a successful and thriving organization.
Let’s start with a vital point: Leadership isn’t determined by your job title.
Being a senior executive or a manager doesn’t automatically make you a leader. Leadership isn’t tied to your place in the corporate hierarchy; it can emerge at any level within an organization.
It’s crucial to distinguish between management and leadership. Management involves tasks like hiring, firing, and planning, whereas leadership revolves around people. To excel as a leader, you must grasp the intricacies of human interaction. That’s why I emphasize the significance of emotional intelligence in this article.
Effective leadership hinges on understanding how to motivate, empathize, care for, and listen to your team members. Research underscores this point, demonstrating that emotionally intelligent leaders tend to have more engaged employees. However, many individuals in leadership roles lack these essential qualities.
So, why does this discrepancy exist?
The issue often arises because companies promote individuals based on their technical skills, even when they lack the necessary “soft skills” required to inspire and guide their teams.
Our method of identifying leaders has inherent flaws. When we conjure up an image of a leader, it often resembles a tall, confident, charismatic individual, typically male, dressed in a suit, and commanding attention. These biases are natural, but they contribute to a significant problem: placing the wrong people in leadership roles.
Our biases tend to favor certain traits when selecting leaders, including
Age
Gender
Race
Physical attractiveness
Surprisingly, research indicates that around 30% of leaders attain their positions due to genetic factors. However, compelling research suggests that none of these characteristics significantly determine effective leadership.
For instance, a study revealed that, despite global perceptions, there’s actually no discernible difference in leadership qualities between men and women. Additionally, extroverts are more commonly chosen for leadership positions, even though introverts often possess superior leadership qualities such as active listening, thorough preparation, and self-reflection.
This TED talk will help you understand leadership skills is so important and offer some great tips to help you to become a good leader
So, what truly defines a good leader?
Skills that distinguish a good leader are
Effective & good leader possess a remarkable level of emotional intelligence. They recognize their strengths, continually seek growth, and remain committed to learning. These skills are the cornerstones of exceptional leadership.
1. Leveraging Their Strengths
Exceptional leaders continually assess their own abilities, identifying both strengths and weaknesses. Understanding their areas of weakness allows them to delegate tasks to individuals with greater expertise, freeing up time to focus on their strengths.
2. Proficient Listening
Great leaders understand the power of attentive listening. While speaking imparts what one already knows, listening opens the door to learning something new. Savvy leaders often employ a clever strategy: they wait for about five seconds before responding when an employee raises an issue. This tactic often prompts the individual to provide more information during the brief silence, aiding leaders in gathering valuable insights.
3. Effective Communication
Effective communication is paramount. Exceptional leaders possess the skill to simplify complex concepts and ignite enthusiasm among their team. Their communication is characterized by clarity, brevity, and passion.
4. Earned Respect
Respect is not freely given; it must be earned and nurtured over time. To be heard, leaders must first be respected. Exceptional leaders actively cultivate respect by extending it to their team members through inclusion and attentive listening.
5. Embracing Feedback
Exceptional leaders are committed to continuous improvement and embrace feedback without fear. They view feedback as an opportunity for personal growth. They actively seek input from their team members and amass a wealth of feedback.
6. Accountability
At the end of the day, leaders bear the ultimate responsibility. While they grant autonomy to their team, leaders accept accountability if things go awry. This understanding drives them to ensure that the workload is equitably distributed.
7. Acknowledgment of Excellence
Exceptional leaders comprehend the significance of expressions like “thank you” and employ them generously. They consistently recognize their team’s hard work and foster a culture of appreciation, encouraging team members to praise one another and strengthening team bonds.
What actions one should take to become a good leader?
Now that you understand the significance of emotional intelligence in leadership and have insight into the traits of exceptional leaders, you may be wondering how you can enhance your own leadership abilities. Here are some steps to help you become a better leader:
Cultivate Humility
Embrace humility as it humanizes you and fosters a safe environment for your employees. Humility encourages your team to feel comfortable approaching you with any concerns or ideas.
How to practice humility:
Acknowledge and credit others for collaborative work.
Be willing to accept responsibility, even when not at fault.
Admit your mistakes and take ownership of them.
Seek Feedback Actively
Exceptional leaders are constantly evolving and growing. To be the best leader for your team, regularly solicit feedback from your employees.
How to practice collecting feedback:
Express your commitment to personal improvement and rely on your team’s input.
Utilize the feedback you receive to enhance your leadership skills.
Demonstrate to your employees that their feedback is valued and listened to.
Enhance Self-Awareness
Achieve a deep understanding of yourself, your emotions, and your impact on others. Consistently practicing self-awareness enables the development of emotional intelligence.
How to practice self-awareness:
Monitor your self-talk, particularly looking for negative self-criticism.
Pay attention to your body language and its signals.
Engage in meditation or mindfulness exercises.
Find a Mentor
Securing a mentor is a potent method for improving your leadership capabilities. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel when you can seek guidance from someone who has navigated similar challenges.
How to find a mentor:
Identify individuals, both within and outside of your workplace, whom you deeply respect.
Discover how you can offer assistance or support to them before seeking their guidance.
Don’t hesitate to reach out and request mentorship when you find a suitable mentor.
What do you think makes a good leader?
Let us know in the comments below!
For more insights on Mastering Leadership skills, explore our article on the Top 10 Must have Leadership Skills.
