The Little Guide to Great Leadership

30 tips and activities to lead and inspire people and teams

As the world prepares to usher in 2020, how do we improve the global state of leadership? What would happen if every day in 2020 each of us takes a moment to consider how we might become a better leader that day--at home, at work, in our communities—one word, one act at a time. 

The Little Guide to Great Leadership features 30 practical tips and easy-to-do activities that can help you SAY, DO and BE the leader you wish you had. Simon Sinek speaks eloquently on this topic. There's no better way to kick of this guide:

  I.         Introductory Quote

 "Leading is not the same as being named a leader. Being named a leader means you hold the highest rank, either by earning it, good fortune or navigating internal politics.

 Leading, however, means that others willingly follow you—not because they have to. Not because they are paid to. But because they want to. Those who truly lead, understand that getting others to willingly follow requires sacrifice. The true price of leadership is the willingness to place the needs of others above your own.

Great leaders care about those they are privileged to lead and understand that their leadership privilege comes at the expense of self-interest. When people see someone making that sacrifice, they are drawn to follow, and will do everything they can to help their leader be successful. It is not the genius at the top giving directions that makes people great. It is great people that make the guy at the top look like a genius. True leaders sacrifice for their people. 

Leadership has nothing to do with rank. We all know very senior people who are not leaders. They have authority and we do as they tell us because they have authority over us, but we would not follow them. And we all know many junior people who have no authority, but they have made a choice - the choice to look after the person to the left of them and to look after the person to the right of them, and we trust them and would follow them anywhere. This is one of the great misconceptions about leadership. Leadership is not about being in charge, it’s about taking care of those in our charge. Leadership is an act of service.

When we are junior our only job is to be good at our job. Our companies give us lots of training how to do our job, some of us even get advanced degrees so we can be even better at it. If we are really good at our job, we will be promoted. And hopefully, if we work hard we will be promoted to a position where we are now responsible for the people who do the job we used to do...but rarely does anyone teach us how to do that.

Putting someone in a leadership position without teaching them how to lead is like putting someone in front of a machine and demanding results without showing them how to use the machine. It creates stress and increases the likelihood that someone will pretend that they have more control over a situation than they do. To become a leader, we have to make a transition. We have to move from being responsible for our job to being responsible for the people who are doing the job. We move from being responsible for the results to taking responsibility for the people who are responsible for the results. There is no CEO on the planet that can say their priority is the customers. A CEO is responsible for the people who are responsible for the customers.

Leadership, like being a parent, is an act of service. The desire to see those in our charge build their confidence, learn a skill and grow as human beings. The joy of leadership is to see our people do more, imagine more and achieve more than even they thought possible. Like a parent, great leaders would sooner sacrifice their interests to protect their people and would never sacrifice their people to protect their interests.”

 - Simon Sinek, Leaders Eat Last

II.      30 tips and activities to lead and inspire people and teams

Tip #1: Practice the building blocks of leadership:

 i.                   Trust - when trust is high performance is higher

 ii.                 Communications – communications fosters strong teaming

 iii.               Relationships – it’s not “you” or “I” but “us”

Creating trusted relationships using purposeful communications (we call it the ‘language of leadership’) is a key outcome of effective leadership. Every interaction is an opportunity to build or erode trust. Trust is the currency of successful, sustainable relationships. Without trust, no amount of relationship–building will inspire sincere and loyal followers. People who believe in you, trust you.

Tip #2: Get to know your team members as individuals.

Try this...have each team member answer the following three questions:

1. What am I good at?

2. What do I want to be better at?

3. What are my career aspirations?

“The leaders who work most effectively never say ‘I’. They think ‘we’; they think ‘team.’ They understand their job is to make the team function. They accept responsibility and don’t sidestep it, but “we” gets the credit…. This is what creates trust, what enables you to get the task done.” — Peter Drucker, Austrian-American educator, 1909–2005

Tip #3: Recognize how unique perspectives, skills, and experiences make your team stronger.

Try this...each teammate take a personality assessment. (ex. Myer-Briggs, Strengths Finder, etc. ). As a team, discuss what each person is best at and how collectively you are even better.

 “Not the cry, but the flight of a wild duck, leads the flock to fly and follow.” — Chinese proverb

Tip #4: If you want to nurture budding leaders, give them opportunities to watch you and others in action.

Try this...include a junior member of your team in an important meeting this week. Ask them to write down 3 questions to ask you at the end of the meeting.

“Remember teamwork begins by building trust. And the only way to do that is to overcome our need for invulnerability.” — Patrick Lencioni American writer, 1965—present

Tip #5: Vulnerability is a leadership differentiator. It is okay to ask for help.

Try this...trust isn’t built when we offer help, trust is built when we ask for help. Next time your not sure about something, ask for help.

“I have always believed that the way you treat your employees is the way they will treat your customers, and that people flourish when they are praised.” — Sir Richard Branson, English entrepreneur, 1950—present

Tip #6. Tell the truth (enveloped in empathy).

Try this...we trust those who tell us the truth, so long as they are sourcing themselves from a place of making us better.

 “It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.” — Nelson Mandela South African President, 1918–2013

Tip #7: Provide growth opportunities for each team member.

Try this...Encourage team members to attend relevant trainings (company-sponsored or others).

 “Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.” — Albert Schweitzer, German theologian, 1875–1965

Tip #8: Bad news is best delivered early, clearly and in person.

Try this...The next time you need to deliver bad news to a team member (e.g., someone didn’t get the promotion, etc.): be direct, explain the rationale and the process that led to the outcome, and focus on the future and moving forward.

Tip #9: The best leaders are first-rate communicators. Their Vision Purpose Values are clear and consistent, and what they do (both verbally and non-verbally) promotes that Vision, Purpose and Values. If you want your teams to achieve new benchmarks of success, you must master the art of clear and purposeful communication.

Try this...At the beginning of a new engagement or project articulate a bold, clear vision for the future states that the project will help create. This will engage and inspire everyone associated with the project (digital transformation, merger, divestiture, executive transition, etc.

Tip #10: Values are actions leaders have a responsibility to perform.

Try this...State your company values as verbs that way people know that there’s action required eg. “Integrity” becomes “Do the right thing”

Tip #11: Set transactional goals that support the achievement of the company or project Vision and Purpose.

Try this...With your team, identify key goals using the SMART goal-setting methodology: Specific | Measurable | Attainable | Realistic | Timely

Tip #12: Make goals visible (e.g., post them on sticky notes, write them on the white board, etc.)

Try this...monitor your progress with daily/weekly checkpoints. Ensure each action has an “owner,” or someone who is ultimately accountable for the outcome.

Tip #13: When goals are met ... celebrate!

Try this...get creative. Create fun rewards along the way (e.g., team lunch, half days off, coffee on the house, etc.).

 “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou, American author, 1928–2014

Tip #14: Share best practices with your team.

Try this...describe your best prior working experience with your team and talk about elements you would like to replicate.

 “The difficulty lies, not in the new ideas, but in escaping from the old ones, which ramify into every corner of our minds.” — John Maynard Keynes British economist, 1883–1946

Tip #15: Be the last to speak.

Try this...great communicators are great listeners. In your next meeting, listen to everyone’s thoughts before stating your own.

 “Earn your leadership every day.” — Michael Jordon American basketball player, 1963—present

Tip #16: Respect your team members by showing they take priority over the little things.

Try this...when your team member needs something, stop what you’re doing. Close your laptop and put away your phone.

 “Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.” — Mahatma Gandhi, Indian political activist, 1869–1948

Tip #17: The biggest challenge is identifying the challenge.

Try this...clearly articulate any challenges that your team is currently facing and allow everyone to contribute to the resolution.

Tip #18: We don’t learn much when things go right, we learn more when things go wrong.

Try this...openly discuss any setbacks your team faces and focus on the lessons to be learned. Every opportunity is a learning opportunity.

“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist, 1803–82

Tip #19: Recognize teamwork as much if not more as individual accomplishments.

Try this...in the next team meeting, begin with the purpose of calling everyone together, and explain how achieving your objectives will positively impact the business/client/stakeholder.

Tip #20: See the glass half full. 

Try this...once you’ve acknowledged the setbacks, grab a pen and paper and write down everything that went right in your day. Once you have a smile back on your face and are feeling good, look to tomorrow. Tomorrow is a chance to start over and do it right.

 “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up (your followers) to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, French writer, 1900—44

Tip #21: Encourage everyone to have a voice and weigh in during team meetings.

 Try this...hand out a red card at the beginning of the meeting, that person’s job is to play the devil’s advocate throughout the meeting. A new person gets the red card at every meeting.

 “A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.” — Rosalynn Carter, Former US first lady, 1927–present

Tip #22: Vision + Purpose never get old.

Try this...when we share a common vision, purpose and direction, all our actions are channeled toward the same we work. Continuously remind your team where you are going, the future state you hope to create (vision); and the thing that fulfills you most and you are most passionate about doing every day (purpose)

Tip #23: Develop REAL-ationships with your team members.

Try this...schedule one-on-one time this week with a member of your team to discuss their goals and aspirations. Then help them accomplish those goals and aspirations.

 “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” — John Quincy Adams, US President, 1767–1848

Tip #24: Promote a culture of dreaming big (a bold Vision)

Try this...in an informal meeting, ask each of your team members what they would like to be known for (not just at the company, but in life).

Tip #25: Cohesive teams drive better results.

Try this...assign a team member as the “CEO,” or “Chief Entertainment Officer,” to organize team dinners and activities on a recurring basis. Rotate the responsibility and have fun!

“Praise works with only three types of people: men, women, and children" — Anonymous

Tip #26: Give the gift of gratitude.

Try this...go out of your way to thank a team member in person today. Be thoughtful and say what specifically they did and the impact it had on you.

“Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.” — Dr. Samuel Johnson, British writer, 1709—84

Tip #27: Include your team members in discussions about current events and the marketplace. This is a great opportunity to have “mini-think tank.”

Try this...read about something interesting in the newspaper today? Share with your team.

  “To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.”— Eleanor Roosevelt, American diplomat and reformer, 1884–1962 

Tip #28: Treat people like humans not robots.

Try this...when possible, instead of replying to an email with an email, reply with a phone call. It will shrink their inbox and yours too.

 “A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the blame and a little less than his share of the credit.” — John Maxwell, American author, 1947—present

Tip #29: Recognize team members when they work late to meet a tight deadline.

Try this...stay with your team and commit your own time after-hours. This will earn you respect and loyalty. For those days when you can’t stay with the team, show your appreciation by letting them come in late the next day or taking them out for drinks later that week.

 “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” — Aristotle, Greek philosopher, 385—322 BC

Tip #30: Every day ask, “What am I doing to be a good leader of people?” And how can I get better?

Try this...leaders lead people, not results. It’s important to surround ourselves with reminders. Have a leadership buddy, someone you trust, with whom you can discuss your leadership journey.