Leadership is an odd concept, and there are many different perspectives on what being a “leader” means. Some equate being a leader with being the boss, telling people what to do and giving orders. Others view leadership as having a natural quality that inspires others to follow.
But whatever your take on leadership is, it’s an absolutely vital thing to have in a business. Businesses thrive by innovating – trying new things and trusting that they understand their market well enough to turn a profit. Without strong leadership, indecision and ineffectiveness can take hold extremely quickly.
You don’t have to be the CEO or a manager to be a great leader. Even if being a leader simply means making those around you feel more confident, it’s still a crucial quality to have and something that should be consciously worked on.
Here are three core principles we believe great leaders demonstrate:
Communication
The first core principle is communication, which may come as no surprise. Aside from the things you actually choose to communicate, the way you communicate to people can say a lot about your leadership qualities and/or style.
People will be more inclined to follow your lead if you treat them with respect, demonstrate that you have their needs in mind and inspire them. Rather than demanding an outcome or trying to tell someone what to do, great leaders make people want to carry out particular actions. They inspire people to do the very best they can, challenging them to grow each step of the way.
Some people react well to positive reinforcement, and some react well to negative reinforcement. Knowing what makes people tick and knowing how to communicate is the first core principle of being a great leader.
Support
Great leaders support everyone around them. They don’t resort to belittlement or manipulation – instead, they view those around them as their teammates. A great leader will support their team, never being too proud to lend a helping hand.
Support can come in many forms. Leaders can support others through teaching and mentoring, through directly helping them with difficult tasks or even simply by lending an ear when it’s needed.
Great leaders always have time for conversations with others, particularly with regard to feedback and constructive criticism. But it’s not just about tweaking the performances of others, giving credit where it’s due goes a long way as well.
Vision
But aside from just people skills, leaders need to know where the ship is headed. They have to have a clear vision of where they’re going and how they’re getting there, otherwise it’s just the blind leading the blind.
Clarity and focus are key. The value of leadership in a business context is that it removes indecision and ineffectiveness. Someone has to step up and be the one to say, “We’re going to try it this way and if it fails it’s on me.”
Whether you’re the founder of your company or you started yesterday, improving your leadership qualities can help your own career while helping everyone around you as well. Try being a better leader every day, and see where it takes you.
