How To Find The Leader Within You
We are all leaders in a different way. Some of us may be leading a team of workers in the office, guiding students in the school, helping customers pick out a nice gown for the dinner date or planning the menu for supper; one way or the other, we are leaders. We grow, develop, improve and enhance our skills from time to time. These are all leadership qualities. If a family member is upset with how their day turned out to be, we give them positive words and uplift their morale. We leave a positive influence on them. Leaders do the same. While sitting at the dinner table, we about our day, highlight something which caught our attention, or discuss an issue we read in the newspaper or saw on the television. This is what leaders do! Leadership is about taking charge, controlling and influencing things. You will agree with the fact that leaders are team players. Their mission and vision includes others. They engage and interact with people through communication.
Develop the Leader Within
Everyone has a quality or skill of leadership within them. It just needs to be tapped. You shouldn't wait to be found or discovered. In fact, you should show yourself. Here are some ways and tips to develop oneself into a leader:
- Passionate - show zeal and enthusiasm in whatever you do. Create the interest, talk about it and have your family members and friends engage in it too. Show that you can put the best in everything and bring out the best too.
- Effective Communication-communication is the key to being a good leader. One has to reach out and be open to ideas and thoughts. To improve and work on oneself, you have to take criticism constructively. Listen and be heard to, that's communication.
- Challenges - trails make us better persons. It makes us tough and resilient. You should be ready to face challenges, don't shy away from them. Work with determination and encourage others too.
- Goal - your aim or objective should be clear. Brainstorm as to what you want to achieve; what you want to work towards; career; exams; get together supper; and family reunion etc.
- Learn - there's no end to learning; it's a never ending process. You need to learn as much as you can. Age is no limit. Through learning, you can develop and enhance your skills as well as broaden your knowledge.
- Inspire - to bring about change you need to motivate your team. This can be done through creativity. It gets people thinking and doing their part. Always be open to innovation.
- Review Oneself - take time to sit back and go through what you have done and achieved. Question yourself whether there is a need for you to re-strategize and come up with a new plan. Always keep calm and poised. Take the work seriously but not at the cost of losing family and friends. Be balanced.
- Take care of the people around -look at the team, or employees. You all work in the same organization or group. Take care of them. Get them involved; ask them for regular feedbacks. Good leaders work for the people.
Leaders aren't just verbal. They don't only make speeches and participate in conferences, they take action; they actuate. Leaders are people of their word. Action brings about empowerment and credibility. If you are the head of the family, set an example for the children and other family members. Guide them and involve them too. You shouldn't wait for others. Overall, there are five levels of leadership:
i. Position - this gives power and control
ii. Relationship - connect and liaise with the people
iii. Production - accomplish objectives and tasks
iv. Development - personal growing; on-going training and learning
v. Personhood - individual; representation
To be a good leader, you need to set your priorities right. Do things which take too much time and the rest later. You should create a bond. Once, a bond is created, people will trust you and help you get the work done. Don't take any changes. Leadership is not only for particular people or organizations. It's for everyone. We all can become leaders. It's in us. We have the skills. The only thing we need is exposure and experience. But then, experience, we can gain it through our families and friends. We should guide them from time to time; plan out trips' get-togethers; and picnics etc. In the office, we can guide the fellow colleagues and give our inputs.