Become a Better Leader

"The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can't blow an uncertain trumpet."-Theodore M. Hesburgh

In a world that is changing due to the dynamic advancements made in the fields of technology, science, commerce, and almost everything else, just being good or even supremely good is not adequate anymore. Be it a student or a working professional; all individuals under a certain duty need to possess a plethora of skills and qualities besides their job’s basic requirements, in order to succeed more in their field. Bringing a toolkit with a wide range of skills is the minimum one can do in order to even get in line for the ladder, and amongst these abilities, lies the ability to lead.

Leadership since the beginning of time has been one of the key skills a man or woman can possess. Although everyone might put it on their resume, not more than a handful of people understand what it really means. A leader must not only ensure he or she has the supreme abilities required for the basic job role, but must also possess a few other sets of foundational skills that allow them to manage their subordinates and guide them to success.

How Do I become a Better Leader?

There is a handbook for everything, but the very first step is understanding that experience and practical situations are what make a leader a better one. Like his or her colleagues, the leader too can make mistakes. Their can be successful choices, and at times detrimental ones; but what is most important is that the leader makes it a sure-shot thing that he or she analyses the issue and learn from the situation. Now, let’s look into the step-by-step approach towards becoming a good leader.

• Find your Unique Style: It all begins with self-criticism. Find your flaws. Analyse them. Zone on your strengths. Bulletproof them. There are multiple styles in leadership but only by analysing your own-self can you find your unique style.
• Foster Creativity: This can be done by giving new challenges on a weekly basis after structuring them to achieve the goal. These can be group tasks or individual ones, aimed solely at developing the idea of creativity and channelling it in the office.
• Give them their Idol: Talk about your experiences and use examples to make them relate to you. Assist them individually to let them know that you have done what they do, and have been where they are. This helps pave a path to overall success.
• Communication is Key: The subpoint says it all. Understand their issues, and inculcate a more approachable behaviour amongst your colleagues. Ensure that they know your doors are open to woes and new ideas, and they have you backing them up in any situation.
• Motivate: It all comes down to this. A good leader motivates and pushes his or her team towards the doors of victory. Using an incentive-based plan to ensure the employees know that they are valued at the company.
• Don’t Settle: Keep alternating your strategies to increase work rate and efficiency. Switching up your methods will ensure a dynamic work environment and allow you as well to differentiate between what works best in alternating scenarios.

Benefits of A Good Leadership in the Office

What you sow is what you reap. A good leader can bring incremental changes in an office and ensure the projects are completed with a guaranteed quality within the given deadlines. Here are a few beneficial points that come in play.

• Increased productivity:Properly trained leaders in an organization know how to get the best performance out of their people. They’re able to understand different personality types and how each one best thrives in a work environment. A development plan example would be recognizing when to let an introvert work alone or in a small group to maximize their output, or putting an extrovert in charge of a group of younger teammates to get them riled up.
• Loyal workforce:Employees who work under poor leadership have a harder time staying motivated. Even if they like the work they’re doing, it’s inevitably bound to not be their best. As a result, employees start leeching away in search of a more rewarding job that offers better leadership.
• Better decisions:An organization with great leadership works at its best. The ideas flow, projects get done, and leaders create a collaborative environment that fosters questions and suggestions. What do these characteristics add up to over time? Better decision-making and a thriving organization.

Therefore, it can be understood that teamwork and leadership are the two souls that make an office environment thrive even when the workload is taxing and piled up to the ceiling. Having good leadership qualities are always looked upon with admiration, so it’s high time we all work on them.