“Leaders are made, they are not born.
They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to
achieve any goal that is worthwhile.”
This
famous quote by Vince Lombardi has inspired millions of individuals. However,
certain individuals argue with this because they believe that true leaders are
born, not made. You’ll also see several debates online regarding this issue. But
it’s up to you to decide whether you’ll believe it or not. The Keeley
Consulting Group is certain that all leaders exert a great deal of effort before
they become successful in their career.
You
will find thousands of different ways on how to become an effective leader throughout
the internet nowadays. Finding the right information to help you become an
effective leader can be overwhelming. But no more worries because The Keeley
Consulting Group will provide you with proper ways on how to become the most
effective leader you can be.
The
very first thing that you need to do is to become ready for commitment.
Remember that an effective leadership requires ingenuity, cooperation, comprehensive
planning and practice. It’s definitely more than just giving assignments and
directions. Notice that this doesn’t come overnight because it really takes
time and a lot of hard work. You should be truly dedicated and serious in
improving your leadership skills if you didn’t consider yourself as one of
those “born” leaders.
Second,
you must measure your personal strengths and weaknesses. We’re all aware that a
good leader always has certain qualities that separate him from other
individuals, but in spite of this he also knows his limitations. Being aware of
your strengths and weaknesses will help you assign responsibility accordingly, hire
individuals who complement you, and identify what areas you need to work on to
become a better leader.
Third,
you must learn how people perceive you because a good leader has a complete understanding
of how he’s perceived. This knowledge will help you recognize the qualities
that you needed to concentrate on in order to manage more effectively and to
better communicate with employees. Let’s say you’re known as being quite harsh,
you can work on the tone of your voice and use more praise. Try to closely
observe your employees because it is often difficult to discover how they
perceive you, or question them in a non-threatening way such as, “If you had to
name my best and worst qualities, what would they be?” You can also use an
anonymous comment box to obtain the information you needed.
Fourth,
you must identify the traits the group appreciates in a leader; it can be
originality, order, or confidence. The Keeley Consulting Group learns that these
qualities encourage the group members to work smarter and harder. So you should
improve (or learn) whatever qualities they value. You can also simply observe
your group members if you don’t know the answer to this question, or just ask
them what makes a good leader.
Fifth,
you must create a vision and firm goals because group members need to know what
they are working for. As a leader, your job is to work with your employees to
establish considerable goals with achievable milestones along the way. Your
members must know your vision for the group as a whole and for them as
individuals.
Sixth,
you must learn and practice your skills. Basic leadership skills include communication,
team-building, vision and planning, knowing when to take risks, inspiring
individuals and the group, assigning responsibility, etc. You’ll need to practice
these skills in order to become a good leader.
Seventh,
you must know the organization. An effective leader knows the purpose and goals
of his group and the overall organization, and the top strategies to accomplish
these goals. He understands not just how his group operates but also how it
operates in the setting of the entire business. Therefore, you need to know what
each department and individual does and how it affects the organization as a
whole.
Eighth,
you must know the industry trends, major players, marketplace and other
relevant information for the industry where you work with.
Ninth,
you must make your meetings work. Once you call a meeting, you should know how
to make it effective and create definite action. You should create an agenda
first for the meeting and follow it. Then end the meeting by clearly outlining the
important points from the meeting. Follow up the meeting with notes regarding
what happened in the meeting and any particular action items and who is
responsible for executing them.
Tenth,
you should learn how to communicate with others better. A good communicator
doesn’t only know how to speak clearly with confidence, but he also knows how
to be a good listener. There are several
ways on how to speak with confidence and clarity. This includes preparing what
you have to say about your subject matter through in-depth researching, practicing
your speech in front of others if possible and taking public speaking classes, making
the necessary adjustments on what you’re going to say to your audience because
it is important to ensure that it’s clear and it matters to them.
Eleventh,
you should acknowledge your employees for their hard work and quality outputs. Well,
this is one of the biggest motivators for employees. You must encourage them to
continue with a project, and then compliment them as they do good work along
the process.
Twelfth,
you should create your team. Bear in mind that an effective leader usually
doesn’t, and shouldn’t, work alone. He must communicate with his team members and
show them how to work well with each other. His members should be encouraged to
participate in the group. Never be afraid to innovate and take risks. The
Keeley Consulting Group has witnessed several organizations that doesn’t
innovate or take risks fail after some time. To innovate, to change or to grow,
you’ll have to step out of your comfort zone.
Thirteenth,
you should learn from your mistakes. We know that this technique doesn’t only
apply to become an effective leader, but it’s also relevant to the life as a
whole. Remember that failures are nothing but normal, don’t get too much
depressed if you fail several times. Just think of the successful individuals who
never gave up on their dreams. You must use your mistakes as a stepping stone
for honing your leadership skills.
Fourteenth,
you should demonstrate the qualities of a good leader. Become passionate towards
your organization and your work, show confidence in your abilities, understand
and manage difficult situations, uphold high standards and encourage others to
do the same, motivate your employees,
and you have to be generally looked up to as a person of vision.
Lastly,
you should also consider practicing even more. You can also seek feedbacks to further
improve your skills, and don’t be afraid to try new techniques when something
doesn’t work. The harder you strive to become an effective leader, the more
likely you are to become one.
