How To Become the Leader You’ve Always Wanted To Be
Becoming a leader in any industry is a learning experience that takes time to get comfortable with. If you’re new to a leadership role or simply looking to improve your leadership skills, check out the following tips and start improving today:
Communicate effectively.
Whether you’re typing an email, giving someone a call or sending a quick text, it’s important to aim for clear and concise communication. Keep your tone in mind as you compose a message and put yourself in the recipient’s shoes. How will they interpret your message? Take the extra minute to reread your messages before sending them off. We’ve all received emails that came off as impolite or rushed, but that’s rarely the sender’s intention. Great leaders are able to communicate effectively with their teams and make their point in a kind and respectful manner.
Show humility.
A great team requires a great leader, but it also takes everyone on board to be willing to work hard to achieve a common goal. As a team lead, you play an important role in uniting the team together. A simple “thank you” or “congratulations” has a much bigger impact than you could ever imagine. Here are some other fun ways to show appreciation for your team’s work ethic and commitment to success:
- Celebrate personal and professional achievements with a team lunch.
- Write a handwritten letter and mail it out.
- Plan a team building activity at an escape room.
- Give the gift of coffee with a gift card to a local shop.
Be conscious of emotions.
Stay in tune with the mindset of your team. Your teammates may have something going on in their personal lives that’s distracting them from doing their best work. They could also be experiencing burnout due to a heavy workload, or simply struggling to complete a project or close a sale with a potential client. By staying in touch with your teammates’ mindsets, you’ll better understand how to manage your people and guide them to success. Show empathy and offer to help in any way possible. Oftentimes, people just want to be listened to by leadership, so it’s very important to hear people out and determine if there’s a way you can assist.
Exert positive energy.
A little bit of positivity can go a long way. There are ups and downs to any job, and as a leader, it’s up to you to boost morale and maintain a positive workplace environment for everyone. Recognize the areas where your people can improve and act accordingly when a situation needs to be addressed, but also try to spend some time focusing on all the positivity happening around you. Bring positive energy with you every day and watch how your team responds!
Ask how you can improve.
Being in a position of leadership doesn’t mean you’re any more or less flawed than those you manage. Ask them for honest, candid feedback regarding your leadership and your team management skills. The people you oversee are the best resource for you if you’re looking to improve in this area. Let them open up to you and use their feedback to improve as a leader.
Leadership comes naturally to some, but for many of us it’s a constant work in progress. There is always room for improvement as a leader and the tips above are great things to start implementing to become the role model and fearless leader you’ve always wanted to become.
