Are you a business owner? Do you manage a team? Anyone in a position of authority over others needs to understand the essentials of leading. Being a leader means looking out for everyone in your organization. Optimizing the resources of human capital is one of the most challenging aspects any leader will ever face.
However, if your lead the right way, you can expect maximum performance from your team and a commitment to trust your leadership. Do you have the characteristics of a leader? Read through this checklist and see how your skills measure up.
Leaders Have a Vision
Do you have a clear vision for your company? Leaders share this vision with their employees and clients. A leader’s ambition and drive come from the clarity and certainty of their vision; if your employees think that you don’t know where you’re going, they will be hesitant to follow you.
Tell your staff about your mission for the company and the future ahead. Ask them for feedback and their ideas, show them that you value their contribution to the team and the business.
Leaders Keep Learning
Leaders never stop learning and developing themselves. As a leader, you can never know enough about your staff, your business, your clients, or your industry. It’s a 24/7 commitment to keep up with all the information in your immediate environment.
Leaders place value on education and look for ways to improve their value in business and the community. Do you have a degree? Join Redlands’ online MBA program and further your professional education. Attend a few self-improvement seminars on leadership and read books on the subject by top authors.
Leaders Surround Themselves with Great People
Leaders understand the value of a team and how this dynamic affects every area of the business. Great leaders surround themselves with people they can rely on to deliver. Reach up, not down in all of your relationships with advisors, mentors, employees, and social circles.
Leaders Communicate
Can you communicate effectively and efficiently with your team? Does your team understand your vision and the company’s mission? Leaders keep their ear to the ground and interact with their team, clients, and industry authorities in a way that keeps business moving.
Good communicators take the time to understand the viewpoint of others and look for solutions to problems encountered by their team and clients.
Leaders Leverage Technology
In today’s digital age, the advent of mobile technology allows leaders to be omnipresent. Social media, productivity and time management apps, as well as instant communications media, allow leaders to stay “plugged-in” to their business environment anywhere in the world.
Leaders Plan for the Future
As a leader, you need to be planning for the future at all times. Think of business as a chess game and the competition as your opponent. A leader plans for the fluid dynamics of the marketplace and creates a strategy to dominate.
Do You Have What It Takes to be a Leader?
How did you measure up to the critical characteristics of a leader? Look at where you need improvement and work on those areas.
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