5 Steps to better leadership

How do you know you’re ready to take a step into leadership? Perhaps you think the time is right because it’s the expected next step, or it’s how you earn more money, or you’re ambitious. Are these good reasons?

When I first went for a leadership position my reason was probably a combination of all of the above.

Thankfully I didn’t get the job, despite getting through the first round of interviews. The next round really stepped up the required management experience and I bombed! It was the best thing that could have happened, for me and any poor soul that found themselves working for me. Now I look back with the wisdom of hindsight and recognise I was both immature and selfish.

Since those days I’ve learned a lot, both from my own experience and developing and coaching other leaders. There are a few fundamentals that need to be right before you even consider taking on that responsibility.

Firstly, what is your motivation for wanting to be a leader? Most of us have experienced poor leadership in our careers, and in many cases, it starts here. If there isn’t some intent based on creating a great environment for others close to the top of the list, then it’s likely you won’t fare well in the leadership stakes.

Having coached some excellent leaders across my career, here are some of the most important factors that will guarantee you are FAMED for your leadership ability:

F is for focus

Where is your focus; is it on yourself or on other people? Leaders that can put their ego to one side inspire others much more easily. It’s about the success of the many versus the one. Can you thrive on the success of others? Being an effective leader also requires the ability shift focus to get perspective – you recognise when it’s important to be in the dance, and when it’s right to step onto the balcony and to see the bigger picture. Take a step back and look at your current focus; how easy do you find switching perspectives, whilst maintaining a drive towards the bigger goals of the organisation? Mentoring from a respected leader can be a helpful way to challenge your outlook.

A is for aptitude

Do you have an aptitude for managing and leading others? This means being able to motivate and influence. To encourage and coach. To listen and inspire. Being a great leader is no small task. Before you make the step, take the time to understand where your strengths are, and identify your areas for development. Get feedback. Look to take on more responsibility for others to develop these skills. Perhaps start by managing a project, or asking for management responsibility for a few people before taking on a bigger challenge.

M is for the mindset

Positivity, resilience, and growth are three of the many traits of a leadership mindset. People respond to positivity in others as it inspires hope and a vision for the future. Resilience is a must for weathering the ups and downs that are inevitable in any leadership role. From dealing with business challenges to managing your mood through a personal crisis. It’s important not to pay your negativity forward. Having a growth mindset helps you to identify the learning out of major challenges, and recognise that you don’t need all of the answers. It also gives you a helpful dose of humility. Simple transformational activities for your mindset include; making time for yourself, build in physical activities to let off steam, practice mindfulness, and keep a learning journal.

E is for engagement

When you engage the people around you, you get better results. Simple. It’s about building relationships, which require an investment of time and care. Trust, as they say, arrives on foot, and leaves on horseback. To develop a supportive culture that empowers the people in your team and organisation to grow, develop, and achieve requires you to recognise and promote teamwork and collaboration. Using coaching as a style to develop the people around you helps to engage and grow your people to meet their true potential. Invest in coaching for yourself to keep challenging and improving your style.

D is for delivery

Obviously, a leader is responsible for results. Having a focus on outcomes and allowing your team the autonomy to define the how shows trust in their expertise. Speak to your people about their strengths; the tasks that give them energy AND that they are great at. Find opportunities to help them build this into their day. Understand what their career goals are, and help them achieve them. These actions build loyalty and develop people that get top-notch results. Identify opportunities to collaborate as this will help you become more aware of others strengths and develop team-working skills.

Improving your leadership

Leadership is a set of behaviours that can be developed. Identify your areas for growth and develop your strategy for making it work. Don’t be in a rush to take on the absolute responsibility of leading, but recognise we can all be leaders every day. When you strive to have a positive impact on those around you and to achieve the best results together, and that becomes a habit, you are ready!

Check out Generation Women's Rise and Shine and Executive Impact programmes. If you would like to have a chat about what I can do to help you be the best leader you can be get in touch!

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