How to Demonstrate Leadership Without Stepping on Toes
Why Leadership?
If you are ambitious and have high salary expectations, a leadership role might be an attractive career choice. In the modern workplace, leaders are responsible for inspiring their workers and providing guidance/support when needed. These roles aren't for the faint of heart, though. As we'll see below, leadership is as much an art as it is a science. It also requires a great deal of emotional intelligence.
What Leadership Is and Isn't
Being a leader doesn't require supervisory or management experience. In fact, many managers lack leadership skills altogether. Why? Because leaders and managers rely on two different skill sets.
A leader inspires others and brings out the best in their employees. In contrast, managers typically focus on organizing, planning, and overseeing tasks to ensure company goals are met. See the difference?
Leadership should never be confused with task assignment, decision-making, or delegation. While these are things a leader may need to do, especially if they are a manager, the core of leadership lies in the ability to build trust. Do you think you have what it takes to lead others? Let's take a closer look at some of the basic skills required for this role.
Leadership Skills
In order to be an effective leader, individuals must acquire (or develop) a diverse set of skills. This helps ensure they are capable of leading, guiding, and directing their teams in an effective manner. Although leadership is often an innate quality, it can be learned by those who are determined and open-minded.
Here are 10 of the most important skills to know:
Communication: An effective leader actively listens to their team and fosters open/transparent dialogue. They also communicate in a clear and effective manner, so that employees don’t have to read between the lines.
Inspiration: Great leaders help motivate and energize their teams, igniting passion and commitment towards shared goals.
Positivity: A major part of leadership involves maintaining an optimistic outlook. This helps foster confidence and resilience in their teams, especially in difficult times.
Honesty & Integrity: A good leader is committed to upholding ethical standards at all times. They also ensure that their actions align with their words.
Problem Solving: Leaders should be able to identify issues beforehand and implement effective solutions (in a timely manner). This helps minimize disruptions and drives progress.
Expertise: To lead others in a competent and professional manner, leaders must have in-depth knowledge about their particular field.
Creativity: Some of the best leaders are highly innovative. They think outside the box, encourage novel ideas, and develop unique strategies for overcoming obstacles.
Flexibility: In today’s work environment, change is inevitable. For this reason, leaders must be ready to adapt to these changes in a smooth and effective manner. This involves adjusting strategies (as needed) to maintain momentum.
Delegation: An effective leader knows how to delegate tasks and avoid micromanagement. When done correctly, delegation helps empower team members and maximize productivity.
Mentoring: Finally, and perhaps most importantly, leaders must guide the personal and professional growth of their workers. This helps foster a culture of continuous improvement. It also brings out the best in their team members.
How to Demonstrate Leadership With Communication
If you want to demonstrate leadership in the workplace, focus on the skills listed above. You'll also want to communicate clearly and professionally at all times. After all, communication is the first step toward building trust, which is the most critical part of leadership. What does this entail?
For starters, you'll need to take the time to learn proper grammar. Always re-read emails prior to hitting send, and embrace all forms of communication (e.g., phone calls, emails, texts, face-to-face meetings, video conferences, etc.). By hitting this mark, you will have the tools to forge strong relationships with your coworkers and managers of any generation.
Behaviors That Tank Leadership
As we saw above, leadership is synonymous with trust. As a result, any behavior that erodes this will mark you with a red flag. It is difficult to recover from that type of label once it's established. Here are some examples of behaviors to steer clear of if you want to be viewed as a leader:
Gossip
Not being a team player
Blaming others
Telling on others
Keeping secrets
Comparing salaries
Telling lies
Interrupting others
There Is No "I" in Leader
Ronald Reagan once said, "The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things."
Lead by Example
The best leaders are those who don't waste energy clawing their way to the top. Rather, they spend time forging positive relationships with their colleagues.
Leaders say the same thing behind closed doors as they do to a group. They are straightforward, honest, reliable, and warm. They see people's strengths—sometimes better than the individual does. They also encourage growth and positive risk-taking.
Contrary to popular belief, leadership does not need to be loud. Often, it is a title built upon thousands of tiny connections, conversations, and actions.
You Can't Lead Alone
It should go without saying, but leaders lead. For this reason, it's not an independent role. If you want to demonstrate leadership skills, you must work with people one-on-one and in groups. You also have to inspire them to work together. To do this, you must show your workers how to find common goals and resolve conflicts professionally.
There are an endless number of soft skills required in leadership. Surprisingly, you do not have to be an extrovert to succeed in this role. Introverts can be just as successful. In many cases, they have an easier time listening than extroverts do.
Certifications to Consider
There are many certifications that can help you become a better leader. These could be technical certifications that help you hone your academic skills, or they could be specific classes that focus on management and soft skills. There is no right or wrong choice (as long as it's advancing your career and professional goals). Here are some popular ones to consider:
DiSC: This certification is from Strengthscape. It teaches you how to assess people's personality types, strengths, and weaknesses. It can also help you form teams, improve employee engagement, and enable better work outputs.
Project Management Professional (PMP): This certification is from the Project Management Institute. It teaches you everything you need to know about managing projects and people.
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM): This certification is from the Project Management Institute and focuses on managing people and projects. It also highlights agile techniques, which are utilized heavily by modern companies.
Organizational Design: This certification is from Vienna University. It introduces you to the concept of agility and adapting to fast-paced environments.
Certified Strategic Leader (CSL): This is offered by the Institute for Strategic Leadership (ISL). It focuses on strategic leadership, change management, and innovation.
Certified Leadership Professional (CLP): This certificate is offered by the International Association of Professions Career College. It covers leadership principles, management strategies, and team dynamics.
Common Leadership Mistakes
Many people confuse authority with leadership. Contrary to popular belief, though, you don't have to make decisions (or be commanding) to lead others. Moreover, you don't have to point out co-workers' flaws to stand out from the crowd. Nor do you have to be loud and extroverted.
People often feel they need to demonstrate dominance and control when they're in a position of authority, but that is unlikely to offer long-term success. In most cases, it will only cause problems with your colleagues. Instead, demonstrating strong listening skills, honing your communication techniques, and motivating others is the best way to demonstrate your leadership qualities.
How to Get "Buy In" From Your Team
Leading when you lack authority can feel difficult, especially if you are young. However, it isn't impossible; it just takes a bit of knowledge. Here are a few ways you can get buy-in from your co-workers:
Develop meaningful relationships
Display your expertise
Help people when you can
Be positive
Tap into their values and ideals
And always follow through
Understanding the Challenges
If you want to lead, you must first understand the challenges faced by those who follow you. In today's workforce, this means recognizing their stress, mental health, financial burdens (due to inflation), and lack of trust in management.
You'll also need to understand the constant distractions that employees face, such as social media notifications, Slack messages, and email. Taken together, these factors impact productivity, motivation, and progress in the workplace.
As a leader, it's essential to address and work through these obstacles, especially if you want to establish a supportive and productive environment. With empathy (and a little strategizing), you can help your team overcome these challenges and achieve their goals.
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