If you think of the great leaders of the past, names will pop up in your mind: Steve Jobs, Kamala Harris, Elon Musk, Sheryl Sandberg, Ariana Huffington — and you’ll be left with a question:
What was it that made them unique?
Is there a secret formula to becoming a leader of excellence?
Perhaps they are among the most rare of individuals that are so talented as to be considered to be outside the realm of mortality?
In reality, with the right support, motivation, and the right set of principles any person can become a successful leader. Many great leaders started their careers as normal people, and they needed to master the art of to be a leader.
We’ll teach you how to learn to be a great leader.
It all begins by asking:
How can you tell the difference between successful leader and a great one?
To address this question it is necessary to address the most common misconception that leaders vs. managers.
What is the difference?
It’s true that “manager” is a title that is a level of hierarchy within an company. It’s an top-down approach as opposed to the bottom-up approach to management.
However what is a leader to do?
Of course, Lead.
Every leader is a manager in some way, however, not all managers are considered leaders.
It is important to remember that people cannot always pick their boss however, they are able to choose who they will follow.
The first step in becoming a successful leader is to recognize that leadership is more than the position you hold and to make the conscious choice to be a leader worthy of following.
Being a great leader requires the development of an exceptional level of mental acuity.
Simon Sinek once said, “Leaders are often so concerned about their status and their position at the organization they actually forget their real job. And the real job of a leader isn’t about being in charge. It’s about taking care of those in our charge.”
What is the key to a successful leader?
A leader who is competent knows how to guide a person (or individuals) to accomplish something extraordinary. They are aware of how things work and how to make the most from those who look to them for direction.
For example:
- Regular leaders set goals. The best leaders create distinct visions that are relevant and can inspire others.
- The most successful leaders are positive regarding the near future. Leaders who are successfulknow the best ways to inspire optimism among their employees. They are highly practical thinkers who transform their vision into reality and can see the bigger detail and the big picture.
- Normal leaders operate within the existing system. The most effective leaders are those who challenge the convention and look at the possibilities of new methods of generating and creating worth.
- Normal leaders are focused on gaining commitment. The most successful leadersknow that to earn commitment, they have to harness their passion and demonstrate to the people why they are doing it and how following their example will allow them to move toward their goals.
To transform from a great leader to becoming an outstanding leader to be a great leader, you must begin with yourself asking:
- Do I really and honestly trying my best?
- My top three areas for improvement?
- What can I do to create an objective and meaningful vision that motivates my team
- How can I know what my customers want?
- What do my family members need from me?
If you can answer the questions below, you’ll be able to gain useful information on the actions you need to do.
Why is leadership so important?
In reality, we every one of us is a leader in a certain way.
No matter if you’re raising or a family or managing the team, running an entire department, or even running an organization, you must be able to be a leader. If you wish for your family, department, team or business to follow your example for a long time and long, you must take your time and lead with care. You must become the person they want to follow.
If you believe that the current trend towards flat organizations and empowerment of employees implies that leaders aren’t as significant consider rethinking your assumptions. Humans are more reliant on the hierarchy. In flat and dispersed structures that have less official levels, the role of leadership quotes becomes far more important. In absence of it, no organization will last very long.
Therefore, the issue to be asked here really isn’t “Am I a leader?” It’s not even “Am I a great leader?” The problem is “Am I being the best leader possible for the situation at hand, based on the needs of the people who need my leadership?”
Create a variety of ways to lead and behavior so that you can have more ideas to draw from. It is only when it’s not about you and you cease thinking about being great, can you be able to achieve leadership excellence.
In today’s globalized world workers are becoming more more conscious of the need for effective leadership within their companies. More importantly, they’ve higher expectations of the individual they choose to follow.
The bottom line is that developing strong interpersonal and collaborative skills isn’t a luxury and is a must for all who wish to build an successful job (and in life).
6 advantages of exceptional leadership
If you’ve gotten the importance of leadership that is exceptional Let’s look at some of the advantages of a great leader at work.
- A greater dedication from staff members: employees are happy to be the leaders who help them achieve their targets (both professional and personal).
- Increase the productivity of employees: when employees feel well both emotionally and mentally they are more productive and more effectively.
- Develop future leaders: knowing your people to the core can help you identify potential leaders before they are even born.
- Make a strong team: a great leader is the glue that keeps the team united in pursuit of an end goal that is shared.
- Develop meaningful relationships and work: effective leadership is more than simply leading people. It’s about establishing some purpose and pursuing an ideal worthy of consideration.
- Improve engagement of employees: remember that most employees don’t leave a job, they leave an employer. A leader who empowers their employees can increase retention rates as well as engagement of employees.
What are the issues of being a successful leader?
Every leader will, at some point confront some difficulties.
According to research by Gallup The manager, by himself is responsible for 70 percent of the variation in team engagement.
However, research shows that around 58 percent of managers claim they did not receive any training in management prior to being promoted.
What is this all about to you?
Being an executive is a big obligation.
People will assume that you’re well-prepared even if you don’t received any instruction.
If you’d like to be adept at managing people it is important to acknowledge the reality that leadership is hard and you must prepare yourself for the challenges that you will face prior to the time you take on leadership.
A few of these issues are:
Gaining the trust of your employees
A study from a few years ago revealed that employees are more trusting of strangers than their boss.
I’m not certain if this assertion is accurate, but it’s not hard to conclude that getting someone’s trust — and really difficultparticularly if the person has been through unpleasant experiences in the past.
And it takes time.
It is important to be able to share a few of your moments with the employees prior to them begin to believe in them. It is often the case that losing trust is much easier than getting it.
As as a leader, it is your responsibility to consider the process of building trust with the team seriously.
Stress and pressure
Making decisions is among the main responsibilities of a good leader.
Certain of these decisions aren’t easy such as firing employees and deciding between two good candidates for a particular job or transferring an employee into a different department due to them not working very well.
Sometimes, people will be annoyed with them.
In other instances, you’ll need make the choice under a lot of pressure.
This is something that you should embrace and be able to manage. As an employee, managing your personal stress management in the workplace is crucial.
Take time for yourself to care for yourself Not just for you and your team.
Managing difficult people
Being a leader does not mean that people will always love you and vice the reverse. There will be employees who don’t align with your values and aren’t able to follow your instructions. Great leaders don’t shy away from conflicts, they manage the friction and master effectively communicate.
An employee that isn’t easy or doesn’t listen to instructions is a valuable source of information regarding your personal management manner or the product or the customer. Don’t miss the chance to learn from someone who isn’t. They could be driven by a desire to have a greater impact. They may have a different view or even have the idea to a fresh method that can generate profits for the company.
They don’t come in a pleasant package. This is why developing strong interpersonal skills is essential for an outstanding leader.
What are the most important qualities of leaders who are great?
Even though there are many different styles of leadership, all successful leaders share certain characteristics.
Let’s break them down into:
- People who listen well: good leaders know that listening is the first step to effective communication and they will always prioritize listening before talking.
- Constantly learning: effective leaders always look to learn from others’ experiencesregardless of whether they’re reading books, courses, or mentors and are always learning. In the end, cultivating a growth mindset is the key to becoming an excellent leader.
- service-driven Good leaders understand that the best way their goal in influencing people is to assist them reach their goals So they begin by serving others prior to making a request for something.
- Healthy: great leaders understand that in order to maximize their contribution they should take care of their bodies as well as their mental health and this is crucial for staying productive.
- Reliable: leaders don’t blame anyone else for the choices they take and are accountable for any results they achieve.
- Specific:good leaders understand what is important, and they direct their efforts towards it.
- Compassionate and empathic: effective leaders are emotionally aware and are concerned about helping people in specific ways.
Keep in mind that this isn’t an exhaustive listing of all the qualities of the most successful leader, however it does include some of the major characteristics.
For more information we recommend you to take a look at this BetterUp guides:
- Choices that make you an effective leader
- 5 Leadership Essential Behaviors You Should Have
- 10 The Core Values of a Successful Leader
Here’s how you can become a leader of excellence
If you’re here, you’re likely wondering how to be a successful leader. In truth being a leader can be something like being a parent. There’s no specific step-by-step guideline and no instruction manual.
Let’s discuss some suggestions to aid you in establishing solid ground.
Start from the inside
Great leaders are always able to take care of themselves. In order to manage yourself, you need to be aware of your own self. The best leaders know their personal motivations and also where they are most likely to develop and grow. The best place to begin is to identify what your weaknesses and strengths are.
Perform an internal audit to find out where you do best and how you can contribute the most. What do you do to learn? What do you use to communicate? Do you consider yourself a person who listens or a writer or do you prefer to communicate by doing? Are you able to work in large or small groups? Do you prefer cohesion or tension?
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You can then ask your friends to help you to get the job done.
Some helpful questions include:
- Which are my strongest points? What are the things you can count on me?
- What is my best at?
- What are my weak points? What do you have to be wary of? on me?
The answers to these questions can assist you in determining an appropriate leadership style to suit your personal style.
Give your employees a special thank you
The ability to know yourself doesn’t mean it’s always enough.
To lead and manage people it is essential to get to be familiar with them.
If you’re not aware of their motives, values, opinions, or even their the fears they have, it will be difficult to gain their trust. them.
This doesn’t mean that you have to be a friend to all of your employees. It’s not just laborious, but also ineffective.
Sometimes, just listening is enough.
Everyone wants to feel valued within the company.
Research by Harvard Business Review reveals that 40 percent of employees would strive more hard if they were recognized more.
Therefore, ensure that you employees feel appreciated and valued and they’ll repay the favor.
Find an instructor
My grandmother once said to her daughter that “to grow wise, you must learn from other people’s experiences.”
There’s always an opportunity to grow.
You should look for someone who has successfully overcame the obstacles you’re confronting and has more experience in the field.
If there is an “shortcut” to success, getting the right coach or mentor is certainly it..
In addition having a mentor to learn from, it can help you to guide the people you manage.
Learn to become an active member of the team
Michael Jordan once said that “talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.”
However good of a manager you’re or how skilled and smart you think you are, if you want to handle everything on your own you’ll end up exhausted and delegate tasks is among the most important skills for any good leader.
How do you become a team player at the workplace?
All it takes is the goal.
Be proud of your peers’ accomplishments and appreciate the work of others Be trustworthy and open-minded. In return, people will be willing to give you their trust.
If they feel comfortable with them, it’s simpler to form a team that can get the job accomplished effectively.
Set a clear priority
There is no requirement that people follow an individual. Many people follow a cause.
As a coach as well as BetterUp writer, Sarah Greenberg, put it like this:
“To help foster a belief in the purpose of you and your employees, the most effective step is to ensure that your actions as an organisation are in line with the larger purpose. The second is to give your team members the opportunity to members to be connected to an objective that goes beyond self and in a manner that will be self-directed and built on their intrinsic motivation.”
To inspire others it is essential to have a specific, concrete purpose that’s worthwhile to pursue.
The first step in becoming a leader of success is to determine your primary goal isWhat is your top priority?
Be aware that I didn’t use “priorities,” but “priority.”
We can’t be multi-tasking, especially when you’re in a management role.
For instance, Southwest Airlines is known as “the low fare airline.”
Someone once wanted Herb Kelleher, co-founder, and the CEO for Southwest Airlines, to share the secrets to running his company.
He responded: “We are the low-fare airline. When you are aware of this you are able to make any decision regarding the future of the airline as quickly as I am able to”.
Then he added:
“Let’s suppose that someone from the marketing department mentions to you that from research, travellers may like chicken salad during their travels. What do you think you would say?”
As the person did not know the response, Kelleher replied:
“Will the chicken salad be a contributing factor to make us the lowest-cost airline? Since if not then we won’t serve any Chicken Salad.”
Southwest Airlines’ employees know how to make the right decisions since they are aware of the primary goal being the lowest-cost airline, no matter what.
To create a team that is effective You must establish and communicate clearly a priority.
Get your hands dirty
Humility is the lubricant which reduces friction in the team. Also “getting your hands dirty” is among the most effective ways to remain humble.
Show leadership by example.
Don’t ask a worker to do something that you would not make yourself.
Do people a favor before asking them for help, pay attention to others’ ideas Be open-minded and be open to admitting your mistakes.
People admire leaders who show humility.