Just
because you’re a leader doesn’t necessarily mean people want to
follow you. Anyone can take on a leadership role, but that doesn’t mean you
automatically earn the trust, respect and confidence of your followers.
The
good news is that almost anyone can hone the skills necessary to become a
‘follow-worthy’ leader. All it takes is a dedication to learning what makes a
great leader, and the determination to practice and develop those skills every
single day.
Following
are 7 ways you can become a leader people actually want to follow — not just a
leader people follow because they have to.
1. Show respect
to those around you (even when you don’t feel like it).
It’s
easy to be respectful when you’re working with motivated employees or favorite
clients. But what about with a customer who eats up your time (and patience)
with unrealistic requests? Or the employee who showed up late for work – again?
True
respect doesn’t depend on the other person doing something (or not doing
something). It means recognizing that all people are inherently worthy of
respect; even people who drive you crazy or who haven’t done a single thing to
earn it. It means treating people in a way that preserves their dignity and
honors their humanity.
When
you show respect to everyone you interact with, you foster an environment of
caring that permeates the workplace. It encourages your employees to treat
clients, co-workers and subordinates with the same respect they’ve seen you
model.
2. Communicate
(in a way that not only informs, but inspires).
Good
leaders know that communicating clearly and concisely is important for avoiding
conflict and articulating expectations. But great leaders
understand that communication is about more than just getting across an
accurate message. Communication must be efficient and informative, but it can
also be used as a way to inspire, motivate and persuade. When you can
communicate in a way that a particular outcome is achieved or a certain action
is taken, this is when the true impact of great communication shows. In the
words of General Dwight Eisenhower, “Leadership is the art of getting someone
else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”
3. Be generous
(with time, encouragement and responsibility).
When
we think of being generous, we often think of monetary generosity; of keeping
employees happy by giving gifts, bonuses and regular pay bumps. And while this
is certainly one aspect of generosity, it can be far more.
True
generosity involves being liberal with praise and encouragement; of giving
employees the appropriate credit when they have a great idea; of being gracious
when people make mistakes. It can also mean letting go of some of the control
and giving those around you the chance to take on extra responsibility.
Being
generous means giving without thoughts of what someone can do for you in
return: “Listen with regard when others talk. Give your time and energy to
others; let others have their own way; do things for reasons other than
furthering your own needs." — Larry Scherwitz.
4. Express your
passion (because that’s how passion spreads).
True
passion is contagious. When you’re genuinely excited about what you’re doing,
your enthusiasm can’t help but rub off on those around you. But being
passionate about something isn’t quite enough; you also need to express your
passion to those around you.
When
your employees sense that you have a deep and abiding passion for what you do,
they get the sense that what they’re doing is worthwhile; that you’re all on
the path towards something bigger and greater than yourselves.
5. Be humble
(this doesn’t mean being a pushover).
Being
humble in the workplace doesn’t equate to not taking credit for your work or
ideas, or to letting others walk all over you. What it does mean is taking
responsibility for your mistakes, and acknowledging when your followers can do
something better than you.
6. Be decisive
(and take responsibility for your decisions).
Great
leaders make tough decisions, and then take responsibility for the outcomes of
those decisions. No matter how carefully a decision is analyzed and the
resultant impacts weighed, poor decisions are bound to be made, and someone has
to be accountable.
A
‘follow-worthy’ leader isn’t afraid to make these decisions, and knows that
avoiding risk also means forfeiting potential opportunities. She seeks out the
opinions of those around her in order to make an informed decision, but then
takes the final responsibility for the outcome squarely on herself.
7. Show courage
(even when you’re scared).
All
leaders will be scared from time to time – scared of risk, failure and
competition. But inspiring leaders forge ahead in spite of this fear, and show
courage in the face of adversity.
Mark
Twain wrote, “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of
fear.” Great leaders find ways to harness the energy produced by fear, and turn
it into something that propels them forward. They show courage, and encourage
those around them to do the same.
Courageous
leaders know they’re nothing without their team, and are willing to admit they
don’t know everything. They understand that sometimes their decisions will be
unpopular, and yet they choose to lead regardless.
Conclusion
The
skills needed to be a ‘follow-worthy’ leader may not come naturally to all of
us, but they can be learned and practiced over time. And when those around you
witness your efforts, you unwittingly create a culture of generosity, respect
and loyalty.
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