Article created by-Seerup Hoff
Getting ahead at work can mean getting ahead in life. When you learn and master even a few business leadership talents and skills, you increase your chances of advancement. You might even open the door up to striking it out alone in your own business.
Mark Lutchman book has some advice for you in terms of being a better business leader.
If you're trying to make a decision, you should try to get input from your team. Your team may be able to help you find a great solution, or they could help you see if you're making a bad choice. A good leader should be interested in the opinions of others.
When attending meetings, act like you're stupid and don't know anything. You are not actually stupid, of course, but adopting this mindset makes you more likely to accept input from other people who may actually know more than you do. Arrogance has been the downfall of many business leaders, after all.
A great idea for anyone in a leadership role to try is to periodically write an "open letter" to the team members, or workforce. In this letter, you can acknowledge good work, overall performance and show your appreciation for all they do. There is nothing like a little praise to boost morale.
To be an effective leader you have to know your own strengths and weaknesses. Delegate responsibilities in areas that you are weak in to the members of your team that excel in them. You'll give your team members a chance to shine, while ensuring that the job is carried out effectively.
In order to be an effective leader, you need to stay in touch with your emotions. Do not allow yourself to make any of your positive traits turn negative. For example, if you are normally a very confident leader, do not allow added pressure to turn you into someone that is overly arrogant.
How are things going within your team? Reflect on this yourself, or ask a few team members for input. You can discuss changes, consider suggestions, and even make friends.
Don't fear failing. Failing is something that many great leaders have done, and it has only spurred them on to greater victories. If you fear failure, you may be afraid to act boldly, which is the only way for a leader to act. If you fail at something, use it to help you change directions.
When in business, try to always lead by example and never just by title. Even if you are not a supervisor or manager, try to be as good at your job as the person above you. This can be a great way to personally move up the ladder, especially if the higher ups see you motivate higher productivity in everyone around you.
Adopt an eternal attitude of learning. While this article has great tips in it, there's always something more to learn. Business changes and evolves and you need to keep up with it. Always be reading books, newspapers and blogs. If possible, attend classes and workshops. Those are chances to learn and network.
If you wish to lead others effectively, you have to know what your weaknesses and strengths are. You're setting yourself up for failure if you're too overconfident. Stick to building your skills and working towards your goals.
Listen to your team members. Your team will have suggestions for improving production and new concepts or products. Do not hesitate asking the opinions of employees due to fearing criticism. Acknowledging these issues and seeking a resolution lets your employees know they can trust you.
Strive to become the type of leader who has a strong achievement motive. An achievement motive is the pleasure and pride you experience upon completing a project or assignment. In other words, you aren't working to achieve a monetary award or favorable performance review. Instead, your goal is to succeed just for the sake of success. This type of motivation in leaders is highly contagious and inspirational in groups.
Remain focused, consistent and humble when working with others. Staying focused on
Lutchman report helps keep your motivation high. Be consistent in your actions and in your words, especially when dealing with employees. Consistency will earn you respect because everyone will know what is expected of them. Being humble makes you more approachable and opens the lines of communication with your employees.
Listen to people. Listening is a quality that a lot of people no longer value, but remember that there are people in your company or organization who have good ideas. Show that you are willing to hear from others, and they will feel appreciated. That is something a good leader can do.
Being in a leadership position means that you hold a position of responsibility. As such it is necessary that you take responsibility for your actions and decisions. You can't expect your employees to take responsibility for their own work if they see you attempting to evade facing the consequences of your own behavior.
Try to simplify tasks for your employees. In today's world, it is important to complete tasks quickly in order to reach the ultimate goal of success. Take the time to simplify difficult projects by getting rid of meaningless paperwork and reports, and replace them with work that will really help your team to accomplish the important goals.
As a leader, you must set clear, uncomplicated goals. Be sure that your team can attain them, even if they are a challenge. Give a reward for each goal met, and when it is met, hand out the reward immediately. From the time we are children, this example of goals and rewards motivates us to strive to meet new challenges. It's how people work, and it will work in your workplace.
Maintain your own work life balance. Even as a leader, you need to have outside interests, time for family and time for yourself. Make this a priority in order to reduce your personal stress level and give yourself a break from the daily grind. This will help you to stay focused when you are at work, making you a better leader.
You do not want others to think of you as a poor leader. Know what it is you need to avoid, and then try and understand what it means when you must lead others. A commitment to doing the right thing while continuing your learning will make the difference for you. It is up to you, but you must make morally upstanding choices.