In order to be a good leader, you don’t need to be perfect. In fact, some of the best leaders are those who are aware of their own shortcomings and are always working to improve themselves. Here are five easy ways (but often forgotten ways) to be a better leader:
- Be Decisive
- Be clear and concise in communication
- Be open to new ideas
- Be supportive of your team
- Be passionate about what you do
1. Be decisive.
In order to be a better leader, you need to be able to make decisions quickly and effectively. Your team will look to you for guidance and direction, so it’s important that you are clear and concise in your communication. When you are decisive, your team will know that they can rely on you to make the tough decisions and to be a better leader.
The good and bad of being decisive in leadership.
Being decisive is a great quality to have as a leader. It shows that you are confident in your abilities and that you are able to make decisions quickly and effectively. However, there can also be negative consequences to being too decisive. If you are constantly making decisions without consulting your team or taking input from others, it can create tension and conflict. It’s important to strike a balance between being decisive and being open to input from others.
Tools, Apps, and the what not’s to help you in learning to be more decisive.
There are a few different tools and resources that can help you in learning to be more decisive. Take a look at just one resource titled, “12 Best Decision Making Books To Read In 2022”. Decision making books are guides that help readers make smarter choices more quickly. These references cover subjects like decision paralysis, bias, and risk-taking. The purpose of these works is to improve decision making skills and help professionals feel more confident in their choices.
Some apps that will help you in strengthening your decisive muscle would be something like “Trello”. This is one of my personal favorite apps which allows you to organize your thoughts and ideas in an efficient way, which can help you in making decisions more quickly.
There are also many different productivity apps that can help you in time management and goal setting, both of which are important in being a successful leader and will help you be more confident which will lead to being more decisive.
Below I will name a few of these type of apps that you can check out. If at any time all of this becomes over whelming and you question what would be best for you, please give us a call by setting up a “FREE” call and we can see how we might help you design your own custom strategy to get the best and use the best Apps for you.
- Trello
- Asana
- Evernote
- Todoist
- Google Keep
- OneNote
- Wunderlist
How coaching can help you towards being more decisive.
If you’re struggling with being decisive, coaching can be a great way to help you develop this skill. A coach can provide you with guidance and support as you learn to make decisions quickly and effectively. They can also help you identify any areas where you may be procrastinating or second-guessing yourself. If you’re interested in finding a coach to help you develop your decision-making skills, you can check out our ABC Leadership Coaching. We are certified through CTI coaching and Leader Breakthru.
Making the decision to be more decisive.
Now that you know a little bit more about being decisive, it’s time to make the decision to start developing this skill. Remember, being decisive doesn’t mean that you have to make all the decisions on your own. It’s important to consult with your team and get input from others before making a decision. But, if you want to be a successful leader, being decisive is a essential skill that you need to develop.
What are some of the benefits of being a more decisive leader?
Some of the benefits of being a more decisive leader include:
- Your team will know that they can rely on you to make the tough decisions.
- You will be able to make decisions quickly and effectively.
- You will be able to provide clear and concise direction for your team.
2. The second way to be a better leader is to be clear and concise in your communication.
It’s important that you are able to communicate your vision and goals to your team. They need to know what you expect of them and what the goal is that you are trying to achieve. If you can effectively communicate your vision, your team will be more likely to buy into it and work harder to achieve it.
The Good and bad of communicating clearly.
The good: When you are clear in your communication, it allows your team to understand your expectations and what you are trying to achieve. This understanding creates a common goal that everyone is working towards.
The bad: If you are too clear in your communication, it can lead to your team feeling micromanaged. They may feel like they are not able to make decisions on their own and that they have to follow your every instruction. While it’s important to be clear, you also need to give your team some autonomy to allow them to do their jobs effectively.
How coaching can help you with being clear and concise in your communication.
If you want to improve your communication skills, coaching can be a great way to help you. A coach can provide you with guidance and support as you learn to communicate more effectively. They can also help you identify any areas where you may need to make some adjustments. If you’re interested in finding a coach to help you develop your communication skills, you can check out our ABC Leadership Coaching. We are certified through CTI coaching and Leader Breakthru.
Making the decision to be more clear and concise in your communication.
Now that you know a little bit more about being clear and concise in your communication, it’s time to make the decision to start working on this skill. Remember, being clear doesn’t mean that you have to be boring or direct in your communication. It’s important to be creative and engage your team in your communication. But, if you want to be a better leader, being clear and concise is a essential skill that you need to develop.
How to check to see if you are truly being clear and concise in your communication.
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to see if you are being clear and concise in your communication:
- Do my team members understand my vision?
- Do I give too much or too little information when communicating with my team?
- If industry jargon is used, does my team doesn’t understand?
- Are “I” statements used often when communicating with my team?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, it may be an indication that you need to work on being more clear and concise in your communication.
3. The third way to be a better leader is to be open to feedback.
It’s important that you are willing to listen to feedback from your team. They may have some suggestions on how you can improve as a leader. If you are open to hearing their feedback, you will be able to make the necessary changes to become a better leader.
The Good and bad of being open to feedback.
The good: When you are open to feedback, it shows your team that you are willing to listen to their suggestions and that you value their opinion. This willingness to listen can help to build trust between you and your team.
The bad: If you are too open to feedback, it can lead to your team feeling like they can control you. They may start to give you suggestions that are not in line with your vision or goals. It’s important to be open to feedback, but you also need to be aware of what is best for your team.
How coaching can help you be open to feedback.
If you want to learn how to be more open to feedback, coaching can be a great way to help you. A coach can provide you with guidance and support as you learn to be more receptive to feedback. They can also help you identify any areas where you may need to make some adjustments.
Making the decision to be more open to feedback.
Now that you know a little bit more about being open to feedback, it’s time to make the decision to start working on this skill. Remember, being open to feedback doesn’t mean that you have to take every suggestion that your team gives you. It’s important to be discerning and only make changes that you feel will be beneficial for your team. But, if you want to be a successful leader, being open to feedback is a essential skill that you need to develop.
Some potential Apps to use to help you be more open to feedback from your team or clients.
- 15Five
- TINYpulse
- Officevibe
These are just a few of the many apps that are available to help you get feedback from your team. If you’re interested in finding an app to help you get started, we recommend just giving us a call so you’re sure to find one that’s perfect for you.
4. The fourth way to be a better leader is to be supportive of your team.
Your team will look to you for guidance and direction, but they also need to know that you are behind them. Be there for them when they need you and offer your support. Show them that you believe in them and their ability to achieve the goals that you have set.
The benefits of being supportive of your team.
When you are supportive of your team, it helps to build trust and rapport. Your team will feel like they can rely on you. They will also be more likely to stick with your vision, even when times are tough. Some ways to show you support your team could look like…
- Encouraging them when they are feeling down
- Helping them to problem solve
- Listening to their concerns
- Celebrating their successes
Some potential apps to use with your team to help you show your support for them could be…
- Zoom
- Slack
- Flock
- Google Hangouts
These apps can help you to stay connected with your team, even when you’re not in the same location. They also make it easy to share files and collaborate on projects.
The downside of being too supportive of your team.
If you are too supportive of your team, it can give them the impression that you don’t believe in their ability to achieve the goals on their own. They may start to rely on you too much and not take the initiative to problem solve. It’s important to be supportive of your team, but you also need to encourage them to be independent and take ownership of the goals.
Practical ideas to do with your team to help your team to learn to take initiative, problem solve on their own but still understand you support them.
- Give them opportunities to lead
- Encourage them to come up with their own solutions
- Let them know that you are there for them, but that they need to take responsibility for the goals
- Celebrate their successes
5. The fifth and final way to be a better leader is to be passionate about what you do.
When you are passionate about your work, it will show in your attitude and in your behavior. Your team will see your passion and be inspired by it. They will want to work hard to achieve the goals that you have set because they know that you believe in them.
The benefits of being passionate about your work.
Leading a team that you have poured into and helped them to become the best version of themselves is truly exciting. If you can help them and yourself to stay passionate about the work all of you do, now, this is truly a benefit of great leadership.
Practical ways to show your team you are passionate about your work.
- Share your excitement about the goals with them
- Encourage them to be passionate about their work
- Show them how their work contributes to the overall goal
- Celebrate your successes together
If you want to be a successful leader, you need to be passionate about your work. When you are passionate about what you do, it will show in your attitude and behavior. Your team will see your passion and be inspired by it. They will want to work hard to achieve the goals that you have set because they know that you believe in them.
Now What?
If you want to be a successful leader, there are five things that you should do:
- Be clear about your vision
- Be competent in what you do
- Be supportive of your team
- Be passionate about your work
- Encourage your team to be independent and take ownership of the goals.
By taking these five steps to be a better leader, you will be on your way to becoming that successful leader that you desire to be. Remember, leadership is not about having all the answers. It’s about being clear about your vision, being competent in what you do, being supportive of your team, and being passionate about your work. When you take these steps, you will be well on your way to becoming the leader that your team needs.