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Lead and they will follow …

Leaders are people who do the right thing; managers are people who do things right. So what are the characteristics of a good leader, what traits make a person a leader and not just another manager?

What makes for effective leadership? Or are you just another manager?

copyright: 4p business development

According to the idea of transformational leadership, an effective leader is a person who:

• Creates an inspiring vision of the future

• Motivates and inspires people to engage with that vision

• Manages delivery of the vision

• Coaches and builds a team, so that it is more effective at achieving the vision

Leadership can be hard to define, and it means different things to different people. In the transformational leadership model, leaders set direction and help themselves and others to do the right thing to move forward.

To do this, they create an inspiring vision, and then motivate and inspire others to reach that vision. They also manage the delivery of the vision, either directly or indirectly, and build and coach their teams to make them ever stronger.

“My question to you: what can you do differently to become a good leader? Someone others want to follow?”

There is so much written about how to be a successful leader, and it’s hard to know exactly where to start. Here are my top 10 tips on what you can do to be a better leader:

1. Think positively – provide a compelling vision for the future of your business in a manner that inspires the people you are leading. Set the tone for the appropriate behaviour you would expect of your team and where necessary introduce guidelines. Of course the better you are at demonstrating these traits the better your team will be.

2. Exhibit confidence – not to be confused with arrogance or self-gratification. Ideally you would like your team to look up to you for inspiration and guidance. Take on a calm and poised manner those around you are far more likely to act in this manner and the self-esteem of the team will be raised.

3. Be emotionally aware – have high ethical and moral standards. In all businesses you are dealing with people and this is more than likely the most costly part of your business and the most important asset you have. Wise leaders are very aware of emotions and strive to be sensitive of others. Learn more about emotional intelligence and how people interact and how you can improve this in your business.

4. Challenge your staff – to prevent complacency and boredom. People quickly become dissatisfied if they are continuously performing the same tasks and projects. It is important to provide goals and objectives that you can demonstrate your commitment to and how much you value their contribution. Rewarding their creativity and contribution will help to develop them to their full potential and increase productivity.

5. Manage failures – and provide a safe environment for trial and error. No matter how hard you try, mistakes and failure will always happen. The important thing is to understand this, be prepared and know how to deal with it. Always remain calm and think in a logical manner, consider the situation thoroughly and the resources available to you before taking any remedial action. Creating a calm environment in your business will assist your team in finding the best solution to any problems or setbacks they are faced with.

6. Listen – give feedback and practice effective communication. In leading a team it is extremely important that they are confident in openly discussing workplace issues with you, give them your time and keep confidentialities. Communicate clearly and honestly with the people around you, listening and interpreting properly what they have to say whilst ensuring that they fully understand your expectations. This will keep any misunderstandings to a minimum.

7. Encourage the people around you – encourage creativity and innovation, committing to others and their continuous training. Sometimes it is difficult to let other take the initiative, but if you can embrace and empower others to take their ideas to the next level, providing constructive advice and support, you can reap the benefits of deeper commitment enhanced problem-solving abilities and increased productivity.

8. Delegate – understand how and when to delegate and clearly communicate expectations. No matter how much you would like to, it is not actually possible for your to do everything yourself. Even if this were possible it would not be appropriate in a team environment. In order to delegate you will need to fully understand the skills and competencies of each team member and be mindful to ensure that they feel appreciated and trusted. It is important to recognise that delegation allows you to demonstrate your confidence in your teams and results in higher morale in the business.

9. Manage performance – any leader knows how important it is to develop the skills of those around them by setting clear and concise expectations in a formal manner. When everyone knows exactly what is expected of them, there is little room for uncertainty and any performance issues can be dealt with quickly. Managing the performance of your team and committing to continuous growth will result in increased productivity and profitability.

10. Find a business mentor – there is always more to learn and it is important that you create this opportunity for yourself. Find a trusted person with whom you are able to discuss all aspects of your business, someone who will question the status quo and assist you in making an informed decision to enable to grow a successful business.

Choose to lead and be the person others want to follow. Live your values and beliefs and set the pace through your own actions and expectations, and you will become an awesome leader.

“Would you like to know more?”

If anything I’ve said resonates with you and you’d like to find out more about leadership then do give me a call on 01280 700405 or click here to send me an email enquiry and let’s see how I can help you.

Until next time …

KATH BONNER-DUNHAM