Leadership is hard to do right, brutally hard, and it's not for everyone. I don't believe that people are "born leaders" at all despite that phrase being popular, they're made, created, and if the skills and techniques are learned well and utilised, anyone can be a decent leader.
I've done it for a long time across various professions and have done it badly (yep, definitely), and have done it really well which is not due to me being really fucken amazing or born to it; it's simply because I cared enough to learn the appropriate skills and techniques and got really good at them; being a hard worker who values ownership and discipline helps too and for sure those things can also be learned if one doesn't have them. Anyway, I thought I'd share a few little things I've picked up here and there along the way.
A few of many leadership skills and techniques
- Find time - Leadership can be incredibly complex and time consuming but saying "I do not have time: to a team member is really saying, "you're not a priority right now," and that's not acceptable. I've always striven to find the time but knowing it is not always available means I've worked to empower my teams to give them the skills to find their own solutions, back themselves and to bring me solutions and not problems to discuss; it saves my time and leaves them more engaged with their roles.
- The 80-20 rule - Listen 80% of the time and talk 20% of the time. This ties in with the above point and ethos of empowering the team. Listening to them and providing support without removing their responsibility promotes their ownership of their roles and outcomes. Failing to listen and hear what the team has to say means a leader loses valuable information and opportunity.
- Respect - This is earned and not an entitlement. A leader isn't there to be liked, they're there to lead and it's not always possible for leaders to be liked - it can be a lonely job at time. Sometimes tough decisions need to be made that the team won't understand or like but have to follow; being a popular leader feels nice from a personal perspective but being a respected leader delivers results. This doesn't mean a leader needs to be disliked though. A leader who makes the right decisions, trusts their teams, empowers them, gives them a voice and rewards their efforts and results is a leader the team will respect and want to perform for.
- Energy and attitude - Bad days happen professionally and personally but managing how a leader allows that to (outwardly and inwardly) effect their energy and attitude can destroy the mood, motivation and output of the team or keep it at an optimal level. A good leader will never take it out on their team and great leaders will never allow their team to see their energy and attitude drop. The three C's apply here...never criticise, condemn or complain.
- Maintain trust - One of the best ways to fracture a team and diminish effort and output is to lie to them. Being a leader is tough but lying to one's team to make things feel personally easier, or easier to deal with professionally, is a fast-track to that leader losing trust; it can take months and years to build it and only minutes to lose it. A respected leader will be able to deliver bad or unwelcome news honestly and a team built well and cohesively will accept it, maybe not like it, but accept it and move on whilst feeling they can trust their leader.
- Take notes - In my leadership roles I've often had so many things to remember it's impossible to do so without assistance which is why I take notes, email myself and use other methods of documenting everything. In the heat of the moment it's not always possible to refer to notes so certain things are memory-items but notes help a leader look organised, in control, capable and efficient...and that rubs off on the team. Have schedules, a diary and task lists, it might sound gay as fuck, but it's legit!
- Culture isn't just a word - Everything the leader does and does not do will affect culture and with culture being such an integral part of team-building and maintenance care must be taken to create the right tone and mood and involve everyone in that process in meaningful ways they relate to. This is a very difficult thing as everyone is so different but a good leader will find those differences, celebrate them, promote them and build a culture around them for the team as a whole.
- Transparency - I've not always been able to be transparent with my teams, sometimes they simply cannot know things above their rank or paygrade but in the main I've shared objectives with my teams and why those objectives are so important; it's meant I can better involve them in the process of setting goals and plans to reach those objectives and outcomes. People respond to inclusion of this nature, it makes them feel important, integral and empowered bringing better results, and it helps build trust and respect as mentioned above.
- Consistency - I'm sure all my teams would say they know what to expect from me in any given situation and I feel that's a good thing. It provides comfort, understanding and trust in the leader and allows each team member to focus on their role knowing the team/unit is running effectively - operating on quicksand is sub-obtimal. It's ok to pivot, be flexible or adaptable when required, but the moves, actions, decisions a leader makes should be consistent leaving the feeling the team are on solid ground with rock-solid leadership in support.
- Love the tough times - In my personal and professional lives I've learned the most when things went wrong, were tough, I failed and made mistakes. When things are going well flaws and fallibilities are difficult to see but when adversity strikes issues can be exposed and the leader and team need to dig deeper, try harder, make better plans and actions and it's in those times the leader needs to stand tall. Much is learned through failure.
- Give, don't take, credit - A leader should never, fucken never, take credit for what their team achieves; instead, he/she should give all credit to the team, celebrate and reward them. This can be by way of remuneration and material things but I've found the most powerful reward is verbal, a thank you, well done champs, comment for instance. When reporting to superiors a good leader will talk up the team and team members rather than himself/herself...those superiors (if they're good leaders) will respond and *know that the success was due as much to the guidance the team's leader as to the team itself. Give credit where it's due, to the team; the leader is a part of it, not above it.
I could write a hundred more leadership truths and thousands of words about this topic but I figured you might want to have a go and share something you might have learned as a leader or team member in the comments below. If you have something to say please say it and if you don't have something to say...don't say it.
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
Want a free Hive account? Click Here
[Original and AI free]
Image(s) in this post are my own➖
Hi,@galenkp.When I was young,I didn't like being assigned as a leader of the group because I think I'm unfit for the role. I don't think I have a leadership qualities and skills.But becoming a teacher naturally put me put into a leadership position to lead my students. It's really challenging because I have to be a role model while learning how to communicate with them effectively, as the best way possible.
What three aspects of leadership did you have to work on the hardest to become a successful leader in your role?
As a teacher, these are the aspects challenges me as becoming a leader to my dear students.
First of all, effective communication with my students. I have to adapt each student needs. It doesn't just involve giving instructions to them but motivating or encouraging them and explaining things or lessons as easy as possible to help them easily understand.
Second, decision making. I always put extra effort in setting classroom rules being sensitive of each student needs and of course their well being inside the classroom as parents trust you with them as well as your students. Addressing their concerns,I'm not really confident at first but overtime I trust my experience and of course seek advice to my superiors or co- teachers on handling it because I believed that learning is continuous process.
Third, balancing authority and approachability.
As a leader of the classroom,I have to set rules being firm with them while also I'm someone that my students feel comfortable approaching. I'm not just a teacher, a leader, I'm also their second parent in school but, I also want to be their friend that they can count on. A classroom should have a supporting and friendly environment because it will promote better results or impact such as students feel safe and respective.
Yep, nice one! I like these three and that you can clarify them as well makes me feel that you're an effective leader.
Thank you so much🤗
I miss having the priviledge of leading teams a lot. There was nothing more inspiring than watching them accomplish good things together and individually. All good leadership tips for sure. Nice reminders to apply to myself even though I am retired and just lead my pets to the back door to take a shit in the back yard.
Yeah man, it's difficult to let go of leadership (the feelings it can bring) and the reward in seeing one's team excell. Still, we can all make the choice to lead by example still, help others build leadership skills and the pets still need leadership as you say! 😋
Yeah, I am just being a little tongue in cheek I guess. I still have my boys (men) that I am trying to guide through life. So I have a leadership role in their life and that gives me something to feel good about. LIke you said, we can always set the example and share with others as well through our daily interactions with others.
It's good to impart knowledge, skills and mindset gained the hard way, through experience, to those coming up because in the world they'll have in the future they'll need them as a competitive edge I think.
Yes, they will defintely need it in the coming world for sure. Now if I can just get my youngest to hear what I tell him and apply it. Thinks he knows everything at 20 years old.
Bloody hell, sounds like a good opportunity to PT that out of him, then PT him some more and finish off with some more PT; by the end of that he might be ready to soak up some wisdom from someone who has been there done that and has his best interests in mind...then more PT.
If they don’t get smarter, they will surely get stronger😀
Failing to listen and speaking over your crew as a leader, will also cause long term information loss, as the biggest problem that you can have is if people are hesitant to come talk to you about problems.
80/20 is 100% the hardest skill to master in my mind.
The best kind of leader is the one that can make oneself blend in with the whole team. If an outsider couldn't point out who the leader is in that team, then the leader is doing a fantastic job.
I think there are a lot of non-leader type people out in the world who think it's super easy and then they go and create horrible working conditions for a bunch of people.
Because sadly at least in East Europe, it's very common that Leaders are chosen not by qualificiation, but rather by social relations between owners and CEO's.
Much of the time leaders are chosen poorly and for reasons that have little to do with the right skills; that happens all over the world and in so many industries and often the team, productivity and the organisation suffers greatly for it.
I couldn't argue with any of that sage advice, but I think in some ways leaders are born. I knew I couldn't follow so reluctantly I had to lead. When I started my first business we had no hierarchy, no line managers, no titles, but natural leaders seemed to emerge.
Possibly, but I think it comes more from experiences people have, influences, upbringing, necessity. You're probably right though, I'm not that smart so most probably have it all wrong.
Nature or nurture, the age-old argument. I suppose it's a bit of both. And don't give me that not so smart stuff. You know you're smart, I know you're smart, I know I'm smart etc etc etc:)
Smart arse maybe!? 🤣
The two of us I mean.
Coincidentally, my next post for today is entitled, idiots pay attention - with a picture of me as the image. Lol. Serendipity huh?
And I thought you were joking!
View or trade
BEER.BEERHey @deirdyweirdy, here is a little bit of from @isnochys for you. Enjoy it!Learn how to earn FREE BEER each day by staking your
BEER.STOP
Interesting list that you plan and very true, I focus a lot on coherence and transparency, it is true that it is not always possible to say everything to the team, it has happened to me and it happens to me. But the issue of giving credit to them I always do.
This list is not only useful to apply when you have a team but also to lead ourselves. I liked it a lot.
Credit should only be given when deserved, I never reward teams or individuals for no reason; but encouragement should always be given because that helps promote the right attitudes, actions and better results.
Giving encouragement is necessary and essential to be a good leader, I have had people in charge who thought they couldn't do this or that and they have succeeded. That is how it is.
I found it curious how almost all the points are applicable to my profession.Good afternoon @galenkp, I have no experience in leading teams, but I consider that I have a responsibility to my clients (I should be a good leader for them). All the points you make I think are important, and have a clear goal to empower the team as a means to achieve the objectives.
Yep, you're leading differently with your clients but it's still leadership to some degree.
I like your comment about how these leadership points are applicable to your profession, a perfect example of how they can apply in so many situations.
I had never thought of it this way, but the 20-80 rule, not lying and other points fit my profession perfectly. After all, we try to make clients more autonomous and responsible for their lives.
Yours is a difficult profession for many reasons and I think it's not something everyone could do, I think it'd be rewarding though, mostly.
You're not wrong, it's a very rewarding profession. Now I am with a student that I tutor and this, as you know from my own experience, is also very rewarding. We are visualizing a video and then we will comment on it...
Almost all the tip you share are applicable to parenting and also my job, seems we are all leaders in some way because we definitely lead in various sectors, community or unit
Parenting is leadership for sure and in the formative years it's critical as those years set the tone for the rest to come.
You are absolutely right
I feel the point about credit is the hardest... I have seen so many leaders always taking credit for the good stuff, and then when it comes to the bad ones, it's finger pointing to the ones below. Good leaders are rare. Haha.
Yeah, those people weren't good leaders and probably had under-achieving teams because if it; no one wants to work at optimal performance for a leader who doesn't value it.
I agree with all of this. Being a leader is probably the hardest part of my job on a daily basis. I'm still in the process of learning how to do it well and I basically learn something new every day!
Learning new things daily is a good state of being.