223: Leadership 101: What You MUST Know to Be a Successful Leader

The Exclusive Career Coach

A LOT is written about how to be a great leader. In today’s podcast, I wanted to distill this information down to the top 10 things you MUST know to be a successful leader.

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For this episode, I used an article on businessnewsdaily.com.

1. Engage in open, honest communication.

Great leaders are able to customize their interactions and communication styles based on the situation and each team member.

They take the time to figure out which communication mode is preferred by each team member, and they are great listeners who are authentically interested in their team members.

The key word here is Authenticity. It is important to be genuine and real above all else.

2. Connect with your team members.

Building a real, personal connection with your teammates is vital to developing the shared trust necessary to build a strong culture of accountability and exceptional performance.

To build a connection with each of your team members, focus on getting to know their personality, interests, strengths, weaknesses, hobbies, and preferences. This can give you insight into their goals and motivations.

3. Encourage personal and professional growth.

Acting as your team's cheerleader is an important part of being an effective leader. You should be invested in their success and growth.

A great leader invests financially and emotionally in his employees’ growth. In addition to providing funds for professional development, great leaders empower their employees by giving them challenging opportunities and guidance.

4. Keep a positive attitude.

The way you handle situations – big and small – says a lot about your leadership skills.

Robert Mann, author of The Measure of a Leader (iUniverse, 2013), recommended focusing on the good in any set of circumstances. "Look at three positive things about a problem before you identify what makes it dissatisfying. The more you look at the positives in a problem, the more positively people react with one another."

If you or a team member notices a particular course of action you've taken that just isn't working, figure out some things you've done in the past that have worked.

5. Teach employees instead of giving orders.

An effective leader knows how to show others what is required, rather than simply telling them.

If you are trying to control people to do certain things in certain ways, you're not going to get the level of engagement that you're looking for.

Help the people you lead recognize the choices they have in front of them. People will then take a great deal of ownership over the direction of the project.

Leaders should be teaching so they can grow new leaders to take their place.

6. Set clear goals and expectations.

When setting goals and objectives for your team members, encourage questions and feedback. Including them in the process can increase engagement.

For a leader to motivate and inspire, she needs to keep her team in the know about her vision," he said. This helps employees understand the result they're working towards as a unit.

Don't let team member goals go static. Periodically revisit goals to modify or rearrange them as needed. This will let your team members know that you are present and aware of what they are working on.

7. Give direct feedback about performance.

If you're not direct, people won't know what you truly think about their work, and they will never be able to improve. If you don't know the precise direction your company is headed, no matter how much you've communicated to your employees and leadership team regarding their individual performance, they will struggle when making decisions and taking action.

In addition to providing constructive feedback and performance reviews, highlight employee accomplishments. If a team member does something great, let them know. Celebrate their wins and thank them for their hard work.

Acknowledging successes by outlining how it impacts the business, rather than with vague pats on the back, is not only encouraging but also helps a person work better in the long run.

8. Ask for feedback on your leadership.

In addition to feedback from your direct reports, mentors and colleagues can help you evaluate your effectiveness. Leadership coaching can also help you discover your areas for improvement and assist you in developing a plan to achieve your leadership goals.

9. Be open to new ideas.

Good leaders have the emotional intelligence to understand and accept that change is inevitable. Instead of trying to maintain a status quo just for the sake of consistency, embrace change and innovation. Be open to new ideas and alternative ways of thinking. Everyone brings a unique perspective to the table, and that is something to take advantage of, not discourage.

When solving a problem, encourage team members to provide their insights. When employees feel like they can openly bring new ideas to the table, true innovation, engagement, and success can prevail.

10.Understand your own motivation.

If you view your leadership role as "just a job," it's going to show. To be an effective leader, you need the right motivation. Is it the money or the prestige you care about, or do you sincerely want to inspire people to do their best?

In addition to what motivates you, it is important to know what decreases your energy. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses can help you diversify your team and get a well-rounded portfolio of skills. It helps you not hire carbon copies of yourself and surround yourself with others who are not like you.

Your leadership style plays a role in how you interact with employees and should be evaluated as well. The best leaders can adapt each style to their situations and employees.

Remember that being a good leader takes time. Although some individuals are naturally inclined to have good leadership skills, it is something anyone can learn and improve upon. With hard work, dedication, and strategic planning, you can lead your team to success.

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