BA50 TalkersImproving your ability as a leader will not only benefit you but also your business and your employees. Good leaders inspire others to do well and provide teams with somebody who they can look up to and go to for advice when needed without any concerns. Whether you are a small business owner, run a large company, or are a manager at your place of employment, improving your leadership skills is key to seeing a huge improvement in performance from the top-down. Team members who have a good leader to look up to tend to be more productive, more dedicated, and loyal to their workplace, and happier at work overall. So, what can you do?
Know the Difference Between a Leader and a Boss:
Many people confuse the two, but a leader and a boss are not one and the same. Of course, the boss can be a leader, but there’s a marked difference between somebody who is a good leader and somebody who just tells others what to do at work. Being in charge and having responsibility in a management position is great, but how do you approach it? Do you spend most of your time in your office, giving orders when needed and not much else? Or do you take an active role within your team, ensuring that they have the support that they need, encouraging open communication, and actively inspiring team members to do their best – without any micromanaging?
Consider a Leadership Program:
Studying for a leadership program like this online leadership degree can be an ideal way to improve your skills and learn more about what makes a good leader and how to implement this in your place of work. Studying for an online leadership degree will also provide you with a useful qualification that will work in your favor if you want to go for future promotions or are considering a career change into another industry. Online degree programs are the ideal choice for anybody who runs a business or works in management full-time since they are highly flexible and can be tailored to suit you, allowing you to study at times that are convenient to you and from a place that you can easily access.
Read Good Leadership Books:
There is certainly no shortage of books out there about leadership, with several titles that are an interesting and easy read, designed to help you learn more about yourself, your leadership style and improve your skills. A good book to start with is ‘7 Habits of Highly Successful People’ by Stephen Covey, which focuses on how your personality as a leader not only affects your own goals at work but that of your team or business too. Most leadership books are available as eBooks and you can easily download them to your smartphone or tablet using the Kindle or iBooks app if you don’t have an eReader, making this the ideal option for learning more about leadership on the go – if you commute to work using public transport, this is an awesome way to make use of that time.
Volunteer:
Volunteering in a leadership position is a fantastic way to improve your skills without it having an effect on your business or workplace. For example, if you play a sport, you might want to consider starting a kids’ sports team in your area where you act as the coach. Not only will you feel very rewarded for doing something worthwhile with your free time, but it will also give you the chance to improve your leadership skills outside of the office and develop transferable skills that you can take back to work with you.
Healthy Communication:
A good leader knows that they are never going to be always right about everything; perfection is not the goal here. Striving for perfection only means that you are constantly chasing the impossible, which will leave you feeling unfulfilled and damage your self-esteem. Instead, make a point of asking those around you to communicate with you in a healthy way if they would like to share any observations or suggestions with you. Let your team, your family, and your friends know that you are trying to become a better leader and take any constructive criticism that they give you with grace. One of the key qualities of a good leader is humility; these people are not afraid to admit when they messed up, learn from their mistakes, and figure out what needs to be done to put things right, so put this into practice.
Whether you’re a business owner, manager, or aspiring leader in any other industry, these tips can help you achieve your goal.