Being a good leader means constantly looking for ways to become a better leader. While some people are natural born leaders, even the best leaders look for ways to improve. Here are four easy ways you can continue to grow as a leader:
Take a Training Course or Attend a Conference
The best leaders are always learning, so try taking training courses to improve your leadership style. Look for training courses at places likeSix Sigma. Leadership courses can teach you the newest management techniques, ways to improve your own productivity, and ways to influence your team positively.
You can also attend conferences to continue your life-long learning. Conferences give you a chance to get away from the office for a couple of days and consider new possibilities. You can attend training sessions and have meaningful conversations with other leaders in your industry.
Consider Emotional Intelligence
Today’s leaders need to be emotionally aware. You are managing diverse teams with differing ethnicities, genders, and backgrounds. Being able to relate to your employees makes you a stronger leader.
One of the most recommended books on emotional intelligence is Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry. If you haven’t already read it, you should read it soon. It’s one the books most many workplaces assumes you’ve read, so it may come up in conversation. Whether you agree with the theories or not (we struggle with them too), it’s still information you should know.
Improve your Meetings
If there is one thing that wastes more time and costs business more money than anything else, it’s meetings.You don’t need to meet with your entire team all the time, especially when you’re in constant contact with them all day anyway. Instead, send an email with updates, and save your meetings for when you need team collaboration to solve a problem.
When you do hold a meeting, send out an agenda the day before the meeting so your team can prepare. You’ll have a more productive meeting if your team arrives ready to jump right into the discussion. You should never “talk at” your team. They are your most valuable assets, so value their opinions and let them own their solutions.
Related Posts:
Lead by Example
Last but not least, the employees you work with are not your children. You can’t say “do as I say, not as I do.” In fact, this approach is one of the quickest ways to ruin any harmony in your business and stent your career progress as a leader. Instead, you need to lead by example. Leaders do not merely tell—they show. If you want your employees to get to work on time every day, you should make sure that you are punctual. If you set the tone, your employees will follow it.
Show yourself as a good listener and a collaborative leader. Empower your team to work together and lead their own small projects. Everyone wants to feel like their work is important and appreciated, so always remember to show appreciation. A simple “thank you; this looks great” can go a long way.
Are you a born leader? If you’re not sure, try a career and personality test. Katie likes Career Fitter, but there’s others out there, like Career Key.
