8 tips for successful leaders Tip # 1: Learn How to Communicate Effectively To lead effectively, you must be able to influence and persuade key players. Effective communication aligns the interest and needs of your listener with your message and helps you gain the respect and attention of others. The best way to be heard is to first learn how to become a better listener. You must also learn how to use stories, quotes, metaphors, and humor to help make your messages stand out from all the other competing messages and make a clear impact and memorable impression upon your listener. Tip # 2: You Must be Able to Inspire Action in Others Being a leader means much more than just being in charge, it also means being able to inspire others to work together in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration to achieve mutually beneficial goals and produce results. To inspire means to arouse to action. When was the last time you felt inspired by anyone? When do you think was the last time someone felt inspired by you? The best way to inspire others is to help them discover how their work adds value and to express appreciation to them for their efforts. The two factors most associated with inspiring leaders are the consistent expression of encouragement and gratitude toward others. Tip # 3: Learn how to Practice Flexibility Change is the only constant you will face in your career. Being able to think on your feet and constantly adjust to changing organizational and market demands is a skill that will set you apart from those leaders who cannot effectively adapt to a changing world. Comfort comes from routine and consistency. But, meeting business challenges is about developing new ways to do things and being ready and willing to let go of those old comfortable ways of doing business to allow yourself to discover the new ways that will produce better results. Tip # 4: Build Solid Relationships on a Foundation of Trust The ability to act with kindness toward others, to be relevant in their lives, and to demonstrate empathy are the building blocks of creating a trusting relationship. Positive relationships will result in loyalty, trust, and cooperation from your coworkers and team mates. Let go of the need to be perfect and invulnerable. Real strength comes from your own willingness to be open and honest about your own doubts and struggles. Oprah has created a business empire based on her willingness to share her own struggles with her weight, a history of sexual abuse, and her struggles to find true love. Her vulnerability and honesty attract people and allow her to become even more successful. Tip # 5: Task Management Involves The Cooperation of Others The ability to hold yourself and others accountable is essential to deliver results that impact the bottom line. Ultimately, leaders must produce outcomes that increase profits, decrease costs, and add to shareholder value. The key challenge to task management is to learn how to collaborate and delegate effectively. Otherwise, you're really a just technician and not a leader. Tip # 6: Manage Production to Meet Changing Demands Any manger can follow standard operating procedures, but leaders must also be able to anticipate the future needs of the organization, your customers, and changing market forces that will impact your business and your ability to produce a profitable product or service. Think of it this way, NASA launches satellites to points in space
where they predict the planets will be when the satellite arrives, not to where the planets are now. Tip # 7: Leaders Actively Invest Time to Develop Others Unfortunately, sometimes the best performers often make lousy teachers. Creating a leadership pipeline in your organization means learning how to develop and motivate others to acquire the skills they need to succeed within your own organizational culture. Professional development means helping others to identify a path to success that serves their own needs and desires as well as the needs of the organization. Tip # 8: Personal Development is a Lifelong Process Samuel Johnson said, "Most men's tombstones should read, Died at 30: Buried at 60." No single person can have all the answers. Asking for help and feedback are the hallmarks of leaders who have humility, self-awareness, and trust in the wisdom of their team mates. Having a need to be seen as perfect and always getting everything right is a hallmark of an insecure leader. No matter how smart or accomplished you are, there is still much more left for you to learn. Life is a journey that requires constant course corrections to stay on track and personal development is the process that helps us stay engaged and motivated. What parts of you are you developing? What new skills are you excited about learning?
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where they predict the planets will be when the satellite arrives, not to where the planets are now. Tip # 7: Leaders Actively Invest Time to Develop Others Unfortunately, sometimes the best performers often make lousy teachers. Creating a leadership pipeline in your organization means learning how to develop and motivate others to acquire the skills they need to succeed within your own organizational culture. Professional development means helping others to identify a path to success that serves their own needs and desires as well as the needs of the organization. Tip # 8: Personal Development is a Lifelong Process Samuel Johnson said, "Most men's tombstones should read, Died at 30: Buried at 60." No single person can have all the answers. Asking for help and feedback are the hallmarks of leaders who have humility, self-awareness, and trust in the wisdom of their team mates. Having a need to be seen as perfect and always getting everything right is a hallmark of an insecure leader. No matter how smart or accomplished you are, there is still much more left for you to learn. Life is a journey that requires constant course corrections to stay on track and personal development is the process that helps us stay engaged and motivated. What parts of you are you developing? What new skills are you excited about learning?
doc_579781755.doc