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Whether if your an employee or a business owner we wanted to create a page where we can share ideas that will help you grow professionally.

Definition of Leadership: is a process of social influence which maximizes the efforts of others toward the achievement of a greater good

*If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more…you are a great leader

*What you do has far greater impact than what you say

*some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen

*Leadership is a matter of having people look at you and gain confidence, seeing how you react. If you’re in control, they’re in control

*The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. She is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things

*The task of the leader is to get her people from where they are to where they have not been

*To be a leader, you have to make people want to follow you, and nobody wants to follow someone who doesn’t know where she is going

*If you don’t believe in yourself, why is anyone else going to believe in you

*One voice can change a room

*Management is doing things right, leadership is doing the right things

Tip# 1: Honesty and Integrity

Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.” Honesty and integrity are two important ingredients which make a good leader. How can you expect your followers to be honest when you lack these qualities yourself? Leaders succeed when they stick to their values and core beliefs and without ethics, this will not be possible.

Tip# 2: Show Confidence in your Decisions

When you undertake the responsibility of leadership, you have to be comfortable making big decisions and sticking to them.

You can’t be afraid to be decisive and make tough calls when circumstances require it.

It’s critical you understand the many facets of an issue and obtain as much information to make an informed decision.

Ensure your choices are not just beneficial to you, but with the organization’s goal in mind.

Tip# 3: Build Trust

When it comes to leading a team, you have to be willing to go out on a limb for your employees to show you have their back. Exhibiting a genuine interest in your team’s well-being shows you care and are willing to protect them when necessary.

When you build trust, it demonstrates that your own interests and actions will never supersede the goals of the organization or your employees.

How to build trust:

  • Participate in day-to-day activities and make yourself available for questions.
  • Make an effort to learn something about each of your employees.
  • Be fair and consistent. Employees should be able to anticipate rewards or consequences based on your past actions.
  • Involve them in important decisions to show you value their input.
  • Recognize an employee’s contribution rather than taking credit for results.

Tip# 4: Promote an Open environment for two-way feedback

Part of the trust-building process is creating an environment where it’s safe to take risks and allows you and your employees to comfortably exchange candid, honest and direct feedback without the fear of being punished.

It’s important you provide ample channels for two-way communication between employees and managers, and also solicit and reward them for their ideas and contributions. This facilitates progress toward reaching organizational goals.

  • Encourage employees to ask questions, discuss concerns or suggest ways to solve problems. Allow them to express opinions on company decisions or policies.
  • Highlight examples of people who have achieved significant progress toward the company’s goals or performed in a way that supports them.
  • Don’t talk over or dismiss an employee’s viewpoint. All employees, including management and senior leaders, should respect their colleagues’ opinions.

Knowledge is power. That’s why you should ensure that every employee is provided up-to-date information about the organization’s goals, performance successes and failures.

Use newsletters, your company intranet and team meetings to help spread the word. And, whenever there’s a change – good, bad or ugly – update your employees and tell them why it’s happening. And, expect the same from your direct reports.

This is critical because the longer you or an employee withholds key information, the more it hurts your organization. It prevents you from building trust and an open environment that will develop your team. You’ll earn credibility when you are open to feedback and work toward making changes to fix issues as they arise.

Tip# 5: Be a Coach

One of the main duties of a leader is coaching your employees.

As a leader, you should foster trust and cooperation. Leaders can paint a vision of the future that inspires the team to do whatever it takes to get there.

And as a coach, you have to inspire action that will help execute that goal. Reinforce an honest and candid environment without taking information personally. Equally treat everyone like you would want to be treated.

Give credit where credit is due. Say “thank you,” be encouraging, and try to put yourself in their shoes to better understand their everyday challenges.

Find ways to energize, motivate and show confidence in your team with the belief they can do anything they set their minds to. Take advantage of performance reviews. Use the results of those reviews to provide opportunities for employees to grow and develop specific traits or skills.

Provide coaching and mentoring to build confidence and competence – it’s not a one size fits all approach.

Reinforce positive behavior when employees are accomplishing their goals and objectives. This could be recognition in front peers and other rewards that don’t cost money, but are meaningful to the employee.

Tip# 6: Take Responsibility

We’re all human. Mistakes will happen. But it’s not always easy to own up to mistakes and be receptive to feedback and change.

Business growth involves taking risks that don’t always pan out. Be willing to stand up for your employees and their decisions when expectations aren’t met. This will motivate your employees to feel they can accomplish what’s needed to achieve the organization’s goals.

You have to support and assist your team. Give them the confidence to take risks and speak up without being punished.

When the mistake is yours, take ownership. Don’t try to blame someone else, the situation or a circumstance.

Be credible – people want to follow an honest leader. Be candid about why things didn’t work out, learn from the mistake and move on. People will trust someone who actively displays honesty.

Tip# 7: Have a Mentor

No matter who you are, it’s always helpful when you have someone to look up to who is experienced with strong leadership capabilities. It makes it a lot easier to see someone perform in action than living by words on paper.

Rarely will someone offer to be your mentor – you’ll likely have to do the courting. It may be someone in your business area, but a great mentor relationship doesn’t necessarily need to be in your same industry.

Identify potential mentors who have similar values, then have casual meetings with them to find the one with whom you have good rapport. Be prepared to explain what you hope to learn, why you value their insight and expertise, and what you bring to the relationship.

When faced with a big decision or obstacle, imagine how your mentor would handle it. Think about what they’ve done to overcome similar situations. This can help point you in the right direction when you find yourself being challenged.

Tip# 8: Leverage your Team

As your business grows, you’ll realize that you can’t be around for every decision, and you won’t be fully qualified to perform every position.

That’s why it’s crucial to leverage the strengths of your team. This means finding each employee’s strengths, trusting their expertise and making the most of their abilities. Find out what they’re passionate about and help them lead a project, if they show leadership ability. Empower them to succeed with meaningful work that supports the company’s goals and objectives.

Clear any organizational roadblocks for your team that could limit creativity and innovation. Ask and provide them with what they need to be successful and achieve their work. Don’t get in their way if they’re meeting or exceeding expectations.