The common perception is that you have to have a position of authority in order to be a good leader. That is completely false. Leadership is simply the ability to influence people and get others to follow the path that you’re taking. Here are a few tips to help you become a better leader regardless of the role you’re in.
Tips for Becoming a Better Leader
- Relationship – In order to lead anyone you have to earn their trust. No one is going to simply be a blind follower. In order to gain influence you have to build relationship with those that you’re working with. Be a strong relational person and you’ll begin to see more buy-in from others on your team.
- Integrity – Once you’ve established relationship with others, they will begin to see you for who you really are. Now it’s important that your character represents something that they would respect and want to follow. If you’re not a person of good character then you’ll have a hard time getting the respect of others and this is essential to your ability to lead.
- Delegation – A good leader is one that empowers others. If you’re trying to do everything yourself you’re not exemplifying leadership. Train others to do what you’re doing so that they can feel empowered to move up and you can be free to continue to progress as well.
- Vision – A person with no vision is not a person to follow. When you’ve gained influence and the respect of others, set an exciting future in front of the people who are following your lead. When you set a vision for the future, buy-in will increase and momentum can build. This is a powerful force in terms of building and moving into the future with strength and unity.