What makes a good leader? Those in charge often have their own styles and ways of doing things but with the common goal of running their business successfully. Some factors go into being a good leader, all of which can help you become the success you’ve dreamed of. After all, the skill of good leadership isn’t something a person is born with. They learn to be a good leader.
Leadership isn’t about simply being in charge. It’s about motivating, inspiring, and leading those around you towards mutual success. So, how do you become a good leader?
Lead Yourself First
To be a good leader, you must first learn how to follow less. Much of life is spent catering to others. This can be in both your professional and personal worlds. You complete the work your boss tells you to get done, and you do so on time. You may abandon the time you set out to work on your goal to help a friend in need. While it’s a good thing to be relied upon at work and in your personal life, you need to learn how to put yourself and your goals first. Lead yourself first by starting strong, being consistent, being committed, and being accountable.
Hold Yourself Accountable
To have good leadership skills, you must first know how to hold yourself accountable. This means that you need to stay true to your word and always do what you say you’re going to do. Leaders need to model what they expect from others. It’s much easier for a person to consider you a good leader if they see you practicing what you preach.
Don’t Be Bulletproof
You may think that being a good leader means always putting your best foot forward and never making mistakes, but the opposite is true. Leadership means being able to admit when you’re wrong, allowing yourself to be vulnerable, and conveying the most authentic version of yourself as you can. You’re only human, and good leadership requires you to embrace the humanity in yourself, not stifle it.
Always Ask Questions
Good leaders know that they don’t have all the answers, and they never pretend that they do, either. Asking questions is the only way you’ll learn and grow as a leader. It also gives others the chance to open up. Questions will help others feel less defensive and allow others to show that you genuinely respect and care about what they have to say. Once you’ve asked, make sure you take the time to truly listen to the answer provided.
Give and Multiply
Leadership isn’t about hoarding success. It’s about being able to take others with you to the top. Those who follow you need to become better, or else you’re not doing a proper job at leading. Adding value to other’s lives is how you become one of the great leaders. By giving back and multiplying, you can amplify the intelligence of others, inspire extraordinary results, and get more done with fewer resources.
Colin Bradford is a certified MAPS and The One Thing, Coach.