Being a leader is one of the most valuable qualities one can have in today’s world. Being able to set your goals and accomplish them on time is something that requires certain skills, talents, and qualities that everyone may not possess, but everyone can improve the leadership skills that they already have.
We invite you to explore three ways you can take your leadership skills to the next level!
Be Adaptable.
If the past 3 years have taught us anything, it’s that you can’t be completely prepared for what the world is going to throw at you. As a good leader, you need to be flexible to every possible obstacle. If the circumstances of how you normally work are changed overnight, look for every opportunity to make it work.
Working from home has become commonplace, and because of the initiative of many adaptable leaders, it is possible to do so more efficiently than ever before. Video conference platforms like Zoom™ and Skype™ have made it possible to hold meetings with your colleagues from any location, and where you work from is no longer a primary factor.
Knowing your goals and having a set plan to get there is an important leadership quality to have, but if you are not able to adapt on the fly, you are going to find yourself failing in the long run.
Listen More.
Listening might be considered the most valuable skill a leader can master. You may be thinking to yourself, “I know how to listen, I do it every single day!” But listening comprehension is harder than you might think. It’s easy to look like you are listening, but are you really absorbing the information?
We often trick ourselves into believing what we want to hear. This isn’t completely new information either … people have been recommending that we improve our listening skills for years, like in this article from the Harvard Business Review from 1957.
In order to really listen, you can’t be passive. You must be active in the conversation. Take time to process what the other person has said, and don’t feel like you must provide an answer right away. It’s okay to take a moment to process your thoughts. If you want to check out ways to improve your active listening, check out this blog from World Wide Group™.
Communicate.
Maintaining an open line of communication with your entire team is at the core of leadership. Having a team of people with their own ideas and suggestions is a great way to take your goals to the next level. Making sure that people know this and take advantage of your time and availability can make work rewarding and exciting.
Give positive feedback and consideration to all members of your team. You get the most out of a team when everyone is working together in an open environment, especially if they feel free to express ideas without being reprimanded.
There are easy ways to provide open lines of communication to your team. Check out this list of helpful options. Communication tools like these are great options that can quickly get your entire team on the same page. Everyone can add messages to a work feed within your own community workflow in order to evolve and expand ideas as a group. Communication really is key!
Be the Best You That You Can Be.
Being a successful leader can be difficult. It takes a lot of time and consideration to effectively plan and execute exactly what your vision may be. Being a good leader means you have the right qualities to help others achieve as much as you do.
Everyone is capable of being a leader and improving on leadership skills. The more we try to strive for good leadership together, the more successful we all can be.
Want to know even more about being a great leader? Check out this blog about making your mentoring experience more rewarding.
