Leaders are born and not made. Well, they are born, but only in la la land! For, even leaders are ordinary people like any other individual. Plus, any person can become a leader, if he possesses the traits of a leader. Qualities and skills of leadership are never inherited by birth; they are taught and developed over time. So, ideally, it is very much possible for anyone to become a leader, if one learns how to develop leadership skills. Although leaders behave in a certain manner, but this behavior, too, can be learned. It is due to the trust and respect gained that people look upon leaders as role models. While some people are born with the knack of handling people naturally, others have to put in some efforts to reach the same spot. Though learning how to become a leader takes time, but it is never too late to start the development. So, have a look at some tricks and techniques for developing leadership skills, in the following lines.
Developing Leadership Skills
Think More
It is typical for everyone to perform the duties and tasks assigned by a manager. What is different and abnormal is to look for additional opportunities in the same tasks to contribute value to the work done. To be an effective and successful leader, it is significant to be a thinker, and not merely a doer. For, if not now, at least at a later stage, you will be acquiring a managerial position, for which you should inherit leadership qualities. So, whenever you are asked to crunch the numbers, stop, think for a moment, and analyze the numbers before you make the required move. Think about the implications of the results and what is more important to bring to the limelight.
Be Proactive
Agreed that you are working under your boss and he is authorized to evaluate your professional development. But that does not mean you have to sit back and wait for him to provide you the feedback. After all, no one better than you can focus on your development, right? Thus, do not wait for him to make the first move to give you feedback or allot an assignment, you, too, can take the initiative. Be proactive and ask your manager how you can contribute to the company and develop your skills. Instead of your boss managing you, you manage yourself. Also, none but we are our best critic.
Break the Bar
Showcasing your leadership qualities does not restrict only to your 9-to-5 job. Irrespective of its size, every company has some important tasks which do not seem to be getting completed. Find out such hidden jobs in your organization and volunteer to fulfill them. By volunteering, you will be moving out of your comfort zone and exposing your skills in new areas. Presenting your talents and abilities outside your usual job to your boss and colleagues will exhibit that you can get your hands in multiple projects and want to be a leader.
Raise Questions
In case you have joined a new organization and find many of your co-workers to be in the same workforce for years or even decades, they may not accept you if you present a list of questions to them. However, if you are able to demonstrate that you are willing to learn through thoughtful questions, they might be impressed by you and agree to help you. Ask questions that come to your mind and clarify them, without worrying that you are a newcomer, young, inexperienced, or dumb. It doesn’t matter if you are a fresher, with good questions, you can be perceived as an interesting person who wishes to genuinely learn and contribute. Eventually, you will be regarded as a worker with great potential. So, keep going!
Excellent Communication
While you have been a good listener, it is equally important to be an effective speaker as well. After patiently listening to an individual, you should be able to provide him with the right answer or direction in order to get the desired result. Agreed that you have given your colleague enough time to speak his thoughts and present his views, now when it’s your turn, take time to speak and exhibit your thoughts on the same as well. Your experience in the requisite field and tremendous communication skills are necessary for growth and progress in later stages.
Praise and Encourage
When used in the correct direction, praise can be an unbelievably excellent tool. It is also important to note that praise should be genuine and used sparingly, else the impact will lose its effect too soon. Whenever you come across a person who has achieved a task successfully, always praise what he has done and not the person directly. Well, there is a thin dividing line between praising the act and the praising the person. For, if you praise the person, he is likely to become favorable to a particular person, which is exactly not a trait of a leader. Furthermore, always encourage your team members and fellow workers at every available opportunity. Individuals, when motivated and encouraged, feel good about themselves and put in their maximum efforts to fulfill tasks.
Treat People Well
To be a good leader, it is vital to make your people feel good and wanted in the organization. You should be able to use your capabilities to the utmost to let them know that they are important in their own right. Honestly speaking, everyone craves for something, and a person who can achieve this factor can successfully hold a group of people in his palms. However, the respect and honor has to be sincere and used, only when required.
Wait no further to discover the leader in you and follow the leadership skills listed above in the article. Hope to see you as a great leader of a top notch company in a few years down the line. Good luck!
