A leader can make or break a team. Even if each group member or team member is exceptionally talented, they will be divided and unorganized in their efforts without leadership. Leadership skills and qualities can benefit life at home, life in the workplace, and even extra-curricular activities. Strong leaders are inspiring, empowering, and positive. If you want to learn more about the value of leadership and develop these qualities yourself, read these five tips to become a great leader.
1. Start By Understanding Your Leadership Style
Everyone is different, and you can still be a great leader even if your personality and leadership style may not match what you have seen in past great leaders.
2. Listen and Communicate Effectively
Communication is vital in ensuring everyone is on the same page with plans and goals. To move forward effectively, clearly state the goals and your expectations, and ask for understanding often to ensure everyone has the same idea of what to accomplish. Along with giving feedback, make sure to listen closely to what your group members say so you can best help them.
3. Trust Those Around You
In order to exemplify great leadership, it is imperative that you trust those around you. A leader does not simply make orders and boss others around. Instead they inspire those around them to do their best work. One of the greatest things a leader can do to improve is to trust those around them, learn from them, and grow together as a team.
4. Be Positive and Passionate
Have you ever worked with someone who was always pessimistic? This bad attitude can spread to others and even if you feel like you did a good job, a pessimistic neighbor will lead you to only focus on what went wrong. A great leader is one who focuses on the good, and encourages others to feel good about their accomplishments. By demonstrating care and passion, others will follow and want to do their best work.
5. Be an Example
Lastly, it is impossible to lead others if you don’t uphold your standards as well. It will be easy for those you work with to follow you if you set the example of hard work, positivity, and discipline. A great leader will never expect others to do more than they do themselves. Rather, they will set the standard and lead others to follow them. Be an example.
By developing these qualities in yourself, you will find that you will be more confident in life at home or work. When a leader is needed, you will be able to rise to the occasion and provide the required direction. Your peers around you will grow and learn from you, and you will learn from them and continue to become better leaders. Everyone can benefit from learning to be a great leader; you will be able to help those around you and be more effective in all aspects of your life.
Authored by Carter Walch
