I firmly believe in the old adage that leaders are made and not born.
Effective leadership is just one key element in the success of a group and although people are not born leaders, the majority of people can learn to be effective leaders.
Thomas Gordon from leadership training experts Gordon Training'sums up leadership, 'Being the leader doesn't make you one, because leaders don't automatically get the respect and acceptance of their group members; so in order to earn the leadership of their group and have a positive influence on the group members, leaders learn some specific skills and methods."
Gaining the right skills in leadership can obviously propel your career, whether it be an internal promotion, an increase in salary or increased opportunities when searching for higher level positions externally.
You will already possess many of the innate leadership qualities below and any you don't can be developed over time:
If the management team is smartly dressed and punctual in the mornings, then this will encourage your staff to replicate this behaviour.' Being a good role model in your business is vital if you want your staff members to be as professional as you are.
Lead by example in everything you do at work. It can be very difficult to reprimand a member of staff for something if you are a habitual offender.
In order to become a great leader, you have to understand your own attributes and limitations.' By seeking continuous self-improvement means that you will be strengthening your own skill set and ensuring that you have the right skills to be an effective leader.
Being an effective leader also means you need to stay one step ahead of your team when it comes to technology that may impact your industry.' Subscribe to industry blogs and read white papers that will help you keep up to date with technological advancements in your sector.
It is imperative that you are in a position to make informed decisions quickly.' By ensuring you are up to speed with good problem solving, decision making and planning tools, you will be in a position of strength to lead your team.
As a leader, your team will look to you for guidance and inspiration and ways to take the business to new heights.' And when things go wrong, they will turn to you to take corrective and decisive action.
Thanks for reading and join me and the link to part 2 of increasing your leadership skills is linked below.
Alternatively, if you feel that you are ready to move on from your current role and would like some advice on next steps, you can contact us'here.' Alternatively, pop along to our knowledge network on LinkedIn and leave a question for one of our recruitment experts, which you can find'here. Or if you would like to contact me personally, my Twitter and LinkedIn links are below.
