6 critical behaviours to be an engaging leader in 2022

No matter what our calling is in life, our success depends on our interactions with others. Even in this pandemic, we have found ways of connecting and reaching out to others. Let’s focus on six areas that create an engaging leader.

It doesn’t matter if you are a leader, a politician, a businessperson or a parent - we can all be engaging, but it takes effort. Here are six behaviours to focus on to become more engaging. These practical actions are things you can start doing today.

1)????Create a positive atmosphere

If you want to engage people, you must ensure that you work at creating positive interactions. Charismatic and engaging people focus on keeping the environment and the people around them in the ‘Flourishing Zone’. If you want to improve, you must create as much as three to four positive interactions daily.

2)????Be aware of how you ‘Show-Up’

How do you come across to others? Do a little writing activity - spend two minutes writing “When I am my ‘Best Self’ I am…” Don’t worry about spelling or punctuation, but just focus on what your ‘best self’ looks like… knowing how we show up and focusing on making slight adjustments will create your legacy to show up as your best self.

3)????Make others feel seen and valued

Imagine what it would be like if we paid attention to the people around us and empathised with them. When someone smiles happily around others, those around them are more likely to smile and feel happy. Be intentional in your interactions and pay attention to those around you. When you ask “Hi, how are you?”, wait for the response or give a little more intent, such as “you seem a little distracted - is there anything I can help you with?” or “you look pretty satisfied with yourself, what did I miss?”

4)????Be authentic

Being authentic means being consistent, saying what you're going to do, and honouring your promises. Facilitate difficult conversations with openness and finesse. Learn to effectively express emotions in your leadership role and facilitate challenging discussions on performance.

5)????Recognise emotional triggers in others when making decisions

Remember, not everyone on your team is the same, and each person can react differently to a particular situation. For example, an introvert will likely shy away from public praise, while an extrovert may feel energised by it. Just like a tailor, there is no one-size-fits-all - we need to tailor-make the way we come across to every individual. Adjust your communication style to inspire performance through persuasion, coaching and influence at work.

6)????Manage your emotions under pressure

Take time to breathe, relax, and calm down, paying attention to your best self. Develop personal resilience and create a mentally healthy working environment for others. Identify a range of techniques for managing stress and bouncing back from challenging situations.

?I'd like you to set an intention to think of these six most critical behaviours. Reflect on the behaviours I’ve described and choose one or two you should be focusing on to create a positive atmosphere at the place of work.

Visit my page for further insight on being aware of how you should show up, making others feel seen and valued, being authentic and managing emotions under pressure.

This article first appeared on MaltaCeos.mt on the 4th March 2022 you can view it here