Our world is run by leadership. Everywhere you look there is surely to be traces of it. Whether you look at the manager of a grocery store, a wolf in the wilderness, a CEO at the office, or the president of a nation, leaders are at the head of it all. Since our world is based on leadership, shouldn’t it be our focus to become the best, most effective leaders we possibly can? Wouldn’t that lead to a better, overall functioning planet? That being said, I want us all to ponder two main questions today:
1) Why does better leadership make a difference?
2) How does better leadership achieve those differences?
Leadership lacks a specific definition however, I feel one of the better ones is the following:
“a highly unique form of human behavior that requires the integration of character, knowledge, experience and people skills.”
One’s journey to unleashing their leadership potential begins with a great understanding of his/her self. Take the time to discover your own personality traits and how they relate to effective leadership. When we know ourselves, we can maximize our positive traits, and become aware of our weaker ones that we need to improve upon, which in turn helps us to achieve our leadership potential. In simpler terms, we need to enhance our already positive traits and continue to work to turn our negative traits into positive ones.
Once one understands and knows their strengths and weaknesses, next they must hone in on their communication skills. These are not limited to simply public speaking skills either. Communication skills also include writing style, body language and most importantly, your communication with each individual in your organization/team. This process involves taking time to get to know each person and the varying personality types within your following. This is often a long, time consuming process that few people in leadership roles are willing to take. However, if you want to truly lead effectively, it is important to take time to show the people that you care about them on a personal level and not just from a production standpoint. Your ability to communicate effectively with each individual enhances your ability to improve interpersonal relationships.
Another crucial skill is to learn how to learn. Examine different teaching methods and learning styles out there in order to identify how you and those you are leading learn best. This skill will greatly enhance your ability to make decisions and give clear instructions. Learning how to learn also involves yourself. Understand that just because you are in a leadership position, that doesn’t mean that it is your way or the highway. Be humble enough to open your mind to potential methods outside if your own.
I believe an Effective Leader is one that recognizes the abilities within others and uses their skills in order to help those people become the best versions of themselves, which in turn, helps the group as a whole become the best version of itself. Everyone has the ability to lead, but not everyone has the will to lead effectively. This is very important to remember. We all have the ability to develop as leaders however, not all have the true willpower and selflessness in order to lead effectively and genuinely for the best interest of others.
So, why does better leadership make a difference? It makes a difference because better leadership means more genuine leadership based on personal relationships and trust. How does better leadership achieve those differences? When you can develop a personal relationship with each one of your followers, you subconsciously gain their trust and their willingness to go the extra mile for you and the rest of the team. When this type of culture is created, the opportunities for success are endless.
Swiss-Army Leadership 