When you think about leadership, what comes to mind? Title, position, authority? These demand leadership but are not the whole story. The higher you go, more is expected of you. But there’s a form of leadership that we can learn to do and that is to make a difference and to give more of ourselves. Here are some tips :
START WITH SELF : If you can’t lead yourself, frankly don’t expect to be able to lead others. But the fact is we influence people daily with our excellence or shoddiness, our accountability or our excuses. Have the discipline to follow through on the rules you set for yourself.
HAVE A MISSION: Be intentional in what you do. Champion something and act with purpose. Moving forward means having a vision, then aligning your daily actions with it. Hook into something bigger than you are able to do on your own.
LEAVE EGO OUT : It’s normal to want recognition but flaunting your ego isn’t the way. Avoid becoming an ‘it’s all about me person’ Don’t brag on yourself, take things too personally or overreact in unpleasant situations. In leading without ‘authority’ your influence lies in what you role model particularly how you handle your emotions.
MAXIMISE POSSIBILITY: How often do you stop to think about what could be? But you can’t achieve something new or different if you’re focussed on protecting the status quo. Ditch any ‘we’ve always done it this way’ attitude. Be curious, show initiative, think creatively and make finding a better way your approach.
HAVE 'FOLLOW THROUGH': People who get results are valued more than those who don’t. Period!. So take charge of your responsibilities and make some impact. Do what matters. Show drive and ability to see things through to completion.
BE A MULTIPLIER: This is not about cloning yourself, but about focussing on people, enlarging others, sharing, engaging, committing and using your strengths to complement those of others. Be consistent so that people can depend on you, and learn from you.
MANAGE YOUR ENERGY : Don’t get caught in a frenzy of doing and doing. Apply your energy to things that are productive and help you grow. Focus on priorities ;pace yourself so that you’re available when it matters. On the flip side, avoid inertia; to lead you can’t afford to idle or be immobilised by challenging situations.
BE HIGH TRUST : People follow those they trust. Intelligence and skill are important but are no substitutes for character. Don’t wait till you are in a visible role to demonstrate integrity. Make your word your bond and earn watertight credibility.
Now take action : Identify three ways in which can you show greater leadership.
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