Print Article for : To Become A Good Leader

Your Online Guide » Lettre De Motivation » Leadership and Development

[T980]To Become A Good Leader

by Ab Van Deemter, Ab

We see staff or family members aimlessly drifting around and nothing gets done. It is as if our goals remain just that: goals.

Well, maybe that is the moment to stand up and do something about it, because unfortunately the majority of people are quite satisfied waiting for someone to tell them what to do.

You can be the person who makes that difference. If you have this feeling somewhere deep inside of you that you want to make things happen, then bring this feeling out and become the leader that is hidden inside of you.

A number of people are convinced that leaders are born and not made. If we look at history, though, we can see that many leaders were made. Born leaders who miss the drive, the enthusiasm or the practice, don't get anywhere.

True leadership is only developed by those who continually work and study to improve themselves. Even the so-called born leaders need to constantly work on self improvement.

So, what is true leadership?

True leadership, in contrast to what many people think, has nothing to do with domination. It has nothing to do with getting people to do what you want, based on the use of fear.

Leadership is about supporting and encouraging people towards a collective goal. It is about being patient and motivational, about deserving trust and confidence.

True leadership is about having a clear sense of purpose, about knowing where you are going. It's about who you are, what you do and what you know.

A true leader is supposed to be the reflection of what he wants his environment to become. A true leader has high ethical values and he learns to communicate well, which means that he can listen well. Moreover he has learned to develop good judgment.

A true leader does not see himself as the hero who does it all by himself. He does not pretend as if he knows everything and he certainly does not rely upon his knowledge alone. He is the person who recognises and uses the skills and talents of the people around him, because he knows that only then will he have a good team.

To become a true leader we need to invest a great deal of time and hard work and learn how to serve other people.

So, if you feel that you have certain drives in that direction; get up and start to become a leader as from today and with the above self motivation tips you're on your way to get there. If you use these tips as self motivation exercise, in the end you acquire the necessary self motivation skills and become a truly skilled leader. The world is in desperate need of them.

Being a good leader is more than just being able to manage your employees or having better skills than your subordinates. Oftentimes leaders aren't very skillful or very smart, but they earn respect from their underlings and therefore earn their cooperation. Being a good leader entails responsibility and willingness, not just skill and intelligence.

Many leaders have different strategies toward leadership, some may or may not work for certain situations, but as you go down the road to understanding those under you, it'll be much easier for you to adapt.

For the beginning or aspiring leader, there is no actual recipe to get to your goal of being a good leader, however, there are foolproof ways which can be applied in any situation, these can be good stepping stones for you and once you've seen reactions and results, you can go from there.

Know your Place
A leader's main objective is finish the job assigned to him. Under this main objective is the sub-objective of building a team that can get the job done in the fastest or most efficient way. Support is also very crucial, being the leader doesn't mean you get to sit down all day. The leader gets all the responsibility, he gets the praise as well as the blame and should be the most hardworking of all.

Know Yourself
Be honest with yourself; know your capabilities, specialties and strengths. Be aware of your weaknesses and mistakes. Build a team that can support your weaknesses and can complement your strengths.

Plan carefully and have your people with you when you do
Your team's opinion should be first priority; after all, they will be the ones doing the job with you. Develop your own objectives and ask their opinion on it. Make sure of the scope of the project as well as its limitations. Make sure that all objectives are covered and all plans are doable, all of course with your team beside you.

Make every Project an opportunity for experience and development
A job isn't only a job that you have to finish. Make it a learning experience, an additional level for your leadership as well as managerial skills. Make sure that you learn something from what you do.

Develop your team as well
Make sure your team goes along with each other. Undo knots and straighten bumps as early as possible. Talk, communicate and help them with their work. Give your team a challenge without insulting them, give them responsibilities that will strengthen them as well as interest them. Constructive criticism helps a lot and a caring leader who gives it will ensure a better end product.

It is also wise to train your team as well as your managers. Make sure that the training, developing and support is implemented throughout the whole team or the whole organization. You can't expect to be a good leader in the eyes of all your underlings if you're the only one that's supportive and caring and the managers under you aren't.

Listening and Patience can come in very Handy
Sometimes a new pair of eyes is all you need to get a difficult job done. Just think of 10 ? 20 new sets of eyes. Be able to consult and get your team involved in a project. This not only improves the end result but also builds you up among your comrades.

Praise and blame come together, one should be loud, the other soft
Praise is what everyone wants; a small pat on the back can do wonders on a tired mind. Blame is what every one hates, and even though you know you are at fault, there's a difference between getting blamed and getting a ?better luck next time?. Respect and trust are important in a leader, once your subordinates know they could trust you to be fair and caring, they'll be more willing to listen to what you have to say.

Be sensitive
People around you are people like you. Learn from them, never alienate anyone. Clich? as it may seem, treat everyone as a family. An Informal atmosphere combined with a business tone can help a lot with team satisfaction. The happier the team with what they do the better the output.

Be open to change
Change is what we do; the world changes and so should you. Changes should be for the best and with the support of the whole team.

Article Source : Importance Of Communication In Leadership

About Author

Both Ab Van Deemter & are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Ab Van Deemter has sinced written about articles on various topics from Alternative Medicine, Self Improvement and Motivation and Personal Growth. . Ab Van Deemter's top article generates over 5400 views. to your Favourites.

has sinced written about articles on various topics from . . 's top article . to your Favourites.