You could run a huge corporation or a small business of one or two employees. But in order to be truly successful, you have to be a great leader. Many even say that inspiring your employees to do their best work will be one of the most important roles that you will have. After all, there’s a reason why the old adage “leading by example,” is still being spoken today. Not everyone is a dynamo when it comes to his or her leadership abilities but the good news is that with a little determination, some self-reflection, and a lot or practice, you can also strengthen your leadership role.
Here are a few of our suggestions:
Don’t be so afraid. Everyone is afraid of something. Losing all your savings. Failing ourselves. Not becoming successful. The list goes on right? The problem with being so afraid is that we often let it take over many aspects of our lives. It breeds a great deal of self-doubt and negativity. Fear became a part of our business life also as a growing company. It became difficult to see all that we had accomplished already because we were so immersed in our fears. We needed to be reminded of that. Now we tell ourselves that Fear is just a word in the dictionary. And why not remind yourself what we did. If you want big rewards, then you must take big risks. At the end of the day, it’s not about if you fail or not, but rather, how you pick yourself up after you fall anyways!
Think outside the box. Some of the most successful business people that we have met are doing things just a little differently. Using their creativity and being extremely innovative, are qualities that they are leading with and it is working. I like the idea of thinking outside of the box because it encourages people to tap into their creative self to come up with different solutions to common issues. Many of us are constrained by our comfort zone. We do what we have always done because its what we know. But sometimes tweaking that just a little allows us to see the world in a completely different way. Isn’t that a good thing?
Be confident. Focusing on the good things that you have done and the small successes you have had is crucial in banishing self-doubt that will try to creep in. We are often so fixated on what we HAVEN’T achieved that we miss what we have. We try to celebrate even the small victories and really revel in them as it keeps our spirits and confidence high. In doing so, it also makes the tougher situations that we face, just a little more bearable. Sure, it’s easier at times to be confident. But it also takes practice. We practiced our “confidence muscle” but surrounding ourselves with supportive family and friends. We participated in smaller and lower key events until we found our business footings. We established relationships with business people we admired and who possessed the attitudes like our own. Slowly but surely, our confidence grew. Remember that you have to believe in yourself and what you’re doing before anyone else will.
Be generous. Plain and simple. Be giving of your time and be generous with your heart. It’s not always about money. Teach people. Share your knowledge. Value and appreciate staff. Share responsibility. Praise hard work. By being a generous leader you will inspire others to do the same. Isn’t that what it’s all about?
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
-John Quincy Adams
What are your thoughts? What do you think makes a great leader?
