LEADERSHIP

What is leadership?

The dictionary version of leadership is “to lead a group of people or an organization.” Leaders throughout every rung of the organization ladder are integral to the overall success of the business. Effective leadership is about executing the company’s vision, redefining and improving it and setting the tone and the culture for that particular organization. Leadership means creating and planning, securing resources, and looking out for and improving errors. Leadership is about motivating people to work together and cooperate with themselves and in some cases, other teams, to achieve a certain goal.

Effective leadership shines not only when the going is good, but also(even more so, sometimes) when things are rough. They’re respected (not feared) by the people around them, who in turn, become motivated to work harder and make more significant contributions to the betterment of the organization as well.

Leadership is not about working towards a goal single-handedly. In

fact, leadership is about inspiring and motivating people to work together towards a goal.

What make good leaders?

Being a good leader isn’t something everyone can do. It’s not easy. Every effective leader needs to possess and/or work towards their goals and vision. Good leaders are keys to improved productivity and morale among members of an organization. So what makes an effective leader? Many good leaders share several traits and attitudes. Here are some of them.

1. Good leaders are decisive

Effective leadership is about not wasting time. That includes the time needed to make decisions. More often than not, so much time can be wasted in the decision-making process that many opportunities are missed. Production sometimes even comes to a halt. Good leaders are all about making informed decisions, but are always mindful of the timeframes involved. And once a decision is made, they commit to it and see things through. They realize that putting-off important decisions can have significant effects on an organizations productivity and growth.

2. They practice what they preach

Effective Leadership, in essence, also involves leading by example. It’s hard to respect someone who asks everyone to come on time, or work towards a certain goal if that person isn’t willing to come on time or put in their share of the work themselves. Many times, good leaders set the bar — and meet it — instead of just talking down to everyone. As an article in Forbes says, “A leader who rolls up their sleevesand gets dirty from time to time will create a loyalty in his or her people that will result in achieving goals beyond what we usually expect.”

3. They don’t lose sight of goals

Effective leaders are problem-solvers. Or at the very least, they don’t dwell on problems and instead focus on working towards asolution. They don’t have the answers all the time, but they sure will always be working to get answers. They don’t complain and instead look forward and move forward, always keeping in mind the goals they set at the beginning, and always looking at the bigger picture. To this end, they prioritize and set the tasks that need to be done first.

4. They are passionate about what they do

Effective leadership is about believing in what one is doing. Good leaders don’t and will never say, “it’s just a job,” or “I just work here.” They care about what they do, they care about the organization, and they care about the people they lead and work with.

5. Good leaders are humble and accountable

This plays into the aspect of effective leadership that relies on generating respect that is earned, instead of relying on one’s position or title in the organization. It is humility that makes great leaders open-minded and willing to listen to others and even take constructive criticism. They don’t let pride get in the way of accomplishing goals and executing the vision for the business. They are also willing to take responsibility for their actions and don’t point fingers at the people they work with when things go south.

6. They give credit where credit is due

Often you’ll hear the story about the boss that stole an idea, or took credit for someone else’s accomplishment. Good leaders share the glory, and are quick to credit a team member or colleague for a good idea. They know that success is through teamwork, and they respect the contribution and work other people make.

7. Communicate effectively

An integral part of effective leadership is strong communication. And communication isn’t just saying “I want this to happen.” It’s all about listening and truly considering the input that comes from other people in the team. Proper communication allows for better dissemination of information, as well as a stronger ability to work well with others when the situation calls for it.

8. They are trustworthy

Imagine working for someone who cannot be trusted. Difficult, right? Good leaders never violate trust that is given to them — either by people higher up in the organizational ladder, or by people who work for and with them. This trustworthiness makes them more approachable, and makes others feel more comfortable opening up to them and providing honest feedback or input that in the end, contributes to the growth of the organization.

HOW to lead Effectively

No matter where you are in your career, it's never too early or too late to start or continue to develop your leadership skills.

1. Learn to lead by example.

At some point in their careers, everyone has had a boss who has asked them to do something they don't usually do, such as come in early for a meeting, and then the boss was late for it. Having the "do as I say" attitude doesn't make you likable and doesn't earn you the respect of your team. A good leader is one who leads by example and does what they expect everyone else to do. If you expect your team to be hard workers, then you should be a hard worker too. By practicing what you preach, you earn the respect and loyalty of your team, and before long, you'll see that they're following your example.

2. Be goal-oriented.

Instead of focusing on the problem at hand, an effective leader instead directs attention toward the solution. Instead of worrying and complaining about the issues, they focus on the objectives and then turn their energies toward creating a plan and strategy to achieve those objectives. An effective leader prioritizes so they can get the most important and urgent things done first.

3. Take responsibility.

Instead of pointing fingers and playing the blame game when things go wrong, a good leader takes responsibility for the team's actions and their consequences. By being willing to take responsibility, you prove that you're worthy of trust and respect.

4. Share the glory.

We've probably all had a boss who took all the credit for the team's hard work and success, right? This is not an effective leader. An effective leader is one who is team-oriented and more than happy to share the glory and credit for a job well done with the team. They admit that the success and achievements are due to the team's joint efforts. A leader is only as good as the team behind them. By sharing the glory, an effective leader can earn the admiration and respect of the team. After all, no one wants to follow a selfish leader.

5. Know how to develop a team.

One of the primary traits of an effective leader is the ability to develop team members through training, teaching or coaching. The team will not be able to achieve the goals of the organization without this training.

An effective leader can build people up and create a stronger team, which benefits everyone involved. They can do this because they pay attention to the strengths and weaknesses of the team as a whole, as well as those of each team member. They have excellent communication skills, which they can use to build relationships with and among team members. By building good interteam relationships, they create a greater level of productivity.

6. Become a master of communication.

Excellent communication skills are necessary to become an effective leader. However, communication is not just about expressing what you want to happen -- it's also about being able to truly listen to others. An effective leader not only expresses their ideas and strategies persuasively and clearly but also truly listens to feedback with an open mind.

7. Be courageous and assertive.

In many cases, the leader of a team has to venture into new territory, which means they have to face the unknown and take risks or break rules. In order to do this, a leader must be able to speak up about the things that truly matter and be assertive about what they need and want from their team and for their team. An effective leader is willing and ready to face any challenges and obstacles so they can achieve their own goals and the goals of the organization.

8. Be confident.

Projecting confidence is probably the most difficult characteristic to develop. Some people are naturals when it comes to this, but you can develop a greater sense of self-assurance. Part of this confidence is having faith and feeling secure in yourself and not needing to be accepted and loved by others, as well as being able to prove that you have the competencies and the skills to be an effective leader and to lead the team to its common goal.

No matter where you are in your career, it's never too late to learn how to be an effective leader. These eight tips will help you develop your leadership skills and make you more desirable in the workplace….

Great Leadership Behaviors

Great leaders may not be born that way, but the behaviors that mark the best and lead to success can be developed and refined over time. Seven of the most important:

1.     Being grounded in ethics and integrity. Both are hallmarks of the most successful leaders – those who are deeply committed to doing the right things for the right reasons, even when it is difficult or unpopular to stay the course. This underscores the importance of adhering to high principles and professional standards, and doing so with consistency.

2.     Building trust. This isn’t something that just comes automatically to a leader. It’s something the most successful know they must earn. To that end, they take actions that gain them respect. They involve others in decisions that affect them rather than making unilateral calls. They are transparent and consistent, so subordinates know what to expect (and can count on it). Successful leaders act in a way that makes others proud to be associated with them.

3.     Bringing others along. It’s important to help others grow and achieve, and the best leaders serve as both coaches and teachers in pursuit of that goal. It takes looking at individuals and treating them as such in understanding their distinct needs, abilities and goals. At the same time, it takes working with people to help them uncover what they do best and ways to strengthen their assets.

4.     Inspiring those around you. The most successful leaders have a vision that motivates people to follow. But it’s not just the vision – for whatever future or goal or purpose – that inspires. It’s expressing it with passion and energy, and backing it with strong beliefs and values that count. It’s a matter of exciting people to be equally engaged and uplifted at being a part of something bigger and better.

5.     Making decisions. Anybody can make a decision. But it takes a great leader to take on the hard decisions with authority and confidence. Success here comes from balancing emotion with reason, enlisting input from others to ensure the move forward is well-informed, yet acting with authority. Even when decisions may be unpopular, a leader who honestly communicates the rationale behind them is in a better position for long-term success.

6.     Encouraging innovation. Innovative organizations give their people the space to stretch their creative wings. The culture to make this happen is set by leaders who encourage the art of “possibility” thinking and looking at issues from different perspectives – and who share how such practices have worked for them. The most successful leaders also understand the importance of training people in being more innovative through questioning, observing, experimenting and networking, and to that end ensure that employees get work time each week to do outside-the-job creative endeavours.

7.     Reward achievement. No one likes to see their hard work and accomplishments go unrecognized. The best leaders make a habit of calling out people who make contributions to the organization, and they do it in in both a timely and appropriate manner. This may be expressed through a tangible reward or a public acknowledgement. Either way, it is a function of a leader who not only sets and shares specific expectations, but shows what happens when individuals meet them. Most importantly, the best leaders deliver what they promise when that happens.

Interpersonal Effective Leadership Skills

Effective leadership skills often focus on teams and team building for a reason: Business owners rely on their team and stakeholders to help them achieve success. Without buy in from your team, meeting your goals can be significantly harder. 

1. Respect your employees. 

Effective leadership often requires respect. You often have to give respect to your team in order to earn it back from them.

And if you don't have the respect of your team, then you may not be able to get the best possible work from them when it comes to supporting your business.

2. Be generous with your resources. 

Generosity can also be a great trait for a leader. There are many different ways to express this trait to your team and other stakeholders. This can mean supporting causes or charity organizations. It can mean being generous in terms of team compensation. Or it can even mean being generous with your time or expertise.

Though many businesses may not have the means to provide tons of money to team members and causes, if you can show a willingness to help and support people in any way you can, people are likely to take notice.

3. Establish trust as an important value for your team and your customers. 

Trust can be important when it comes to managing a team, as well as communicating with your customers, clients or prospects.

Aside from just being honest with your team and anyone else you communicate with throughout the course of running your business, this also means holding up your end of the deals you make. If you commit to an event or a new product launch, for example, sticking with those commitments can go a long way toward building trust with a variety of different stakeholders. As far as effective leadership skills go, it is one that you may not want to overlook.

Even the best leaders make mistakes from time to time. But those who pass the blame to others or ignore their own shortcomings aren't likely to gain much respect and hard work from team members.

4. Have some fun!

You might not think that fun is an essential leadership trait. But your team members are likely to spend a great deal of time working for your business. And if that doesn't include any fun, then they probably won't stick around or work as hard as they might otherwise.

However, if you're able to create an environment that includes just the right amount of fun for your team, you can potentially keep everyone happy and productive as they work toward achieving your business's goals.

5. Practice empathy with your team members. 

Your team members are also likely to make mistakes or have other issues from time to time. Practicing empathy can help you create a more understanding environment where you treat each of your team members as individuals. If you expect them to be perfect and leave them no room for learning or growth, you may hurt your team's morale and productivity.