How to be a Leader

How a resonant leadership mindset will yield undeniable benefits from your team

In my consultancy role, I have often been asked the simple question, “How can I be the best leader for my people?”. You might expect a long and complicated answer but the truth is, there’s no complex formula that makes a successful leader.

So take just two minutes to understand the simple dos and don’ts that will help you hone your own leadership mindset into one that will draw out the most from your team.

Being kind doesn’t make you a leader, nor does being a hard-ass

Many CEOs and business owners have fallen into the trap of thinking that if they are kind enough, their staff will give them their best possible output. But if you fail to marry your kindness with truly resonant leadership, you are likely to fail to inspire your team.

Whether it’s because you are reticent to provide the developmental feedback that’s crucial to personal progress, or to confront mistakes or awkward situations, you’ll end up being liked rather than respected and, more importantly, followed.

Conversely, I still encounter senior managers who reprimand staff in front of others, boss people around, or even use threats in an attempt to motivate.

These techniques amount to weakness, and certainly not “a leader”.

How do you become a leader that people want to follow?

In reality, until you find people who say “I will follow you”, you can’t hope to be anything more than someone who happens to have more responsibility than someone else. It’s the followers that turn people with authority, CEOs, MDs – whomever – into genuine leaders.

The key here is to manage your people in a way that triggers their own positive emotions; to make them feel respected, confident, safe and inspired. It really is as simple as that.

I call this approach “resonant leadership”, and to become a leader who resonates with your team, it’s vital that you first do your own job to a very high standard. Rather than being simply kind, you will display genuine warmth and optimism without shying away from responsibility.

Genuine leaders must be prepared to be tough

Of course, there will be some unsettling challenges to face up to as a leader in your organisation. In these situations, leading with Grace entails having the mental toughness and emotional resilience to seek the greater good on behalf of your entire team.

When you become a strong, resonant leader, your team will respond in kind, drawing on their maximum potential. You’ll see a happier, more energetic workplace with improved results and increased profits.

Your leadership won’t go unnoticed either. Lead with grace and you’ll open up new career opportunities. It’s a simple approach, and it works every time.

There will be more on the attributes and behaviours that will help you to lead with grace in my forthcoming book, Positive Leadership, Positive Change, available from July 2020.