You may have had the opportunity to make decisions for a team or group at work or university. Strong leadership skills are required to lead a team as a single unit. A good leader is said to be the one who can direct the team in the right way considering the certain situation. To make a decision and have your team follow it, all you need is a sound mind.
Being a leader is a difficult position to hold. Even if being a leader is an innate trait, there is always nerve-wracking stress on a leader. When you are in a position to lead a group of people, whether it is a single individual or hundreds of people, you are under a lot of pressure, and a single decision can make or break a business. Great leadership is essential to handle such a circumstance.
With time, I’ve also learned to be a leader. On one hand, it was simple to make decisions, but directing each and every member of the team to follow them was nearly impossible. I’ve been able to develop my leadership abilities over a long period of time. The five methods listed below can help you develop your leadership abilities.
1. Learn Learn Learn!
This is the most important and important aspect of becoming a good leader. When you are in a position of leadership, learning is quite beneficial. You must continue to learn as much as you can, not just for future decisions but also for any failures you have experienced in your business as a result of taking a certain step.
Put yourself forward and critically evaluate the circumstance to make better decisions that will guide the team collectively. Learn to recognize your strengths and weaknesses, and leave room for progress. Apart from that, take note of your team’s overall strengths and weaknesses and learn to shape them.
In my perspective, a good leader is one who never stops learning, whether it is academic learning or mastering a new skill or technology.
2. Own your actions
This is a trait that all leaders are expected to have.
As the lead, you will undoubtedly have to make some judgments. You must make things happen in the manner in which you anticipate them. When you take action, you either take the best action that will lead to success or you choose the worst action that will lead to failure. What matters most is that you take responsibility for your decision.
To avoid any doubt, a decision must be made in the best interest of all team members involved, taking into account all possible positive and negative effects. A good leader prepares for both good and negative situations.
If the situation becomes worse, you can prevent panic and think more clearly and critically by doing so. Make a decision and take responsibility for it. I feel that taking ownership of a decision makes things much easier for you and your team. You grow through what you go through. In my career, I’ve made certain decisions that have resulted in unfavorable outcomes, but guess what? We had planned ahead of time for it.
3. Have the required discussions
You may not realize it initially, but having that unpleasant conversation with a teammate will get you a long way. A leader is supposed to have those unpleasant conversations that are vital to have but may be difficult to initiate or even address.
It will eventually benefit both the leader and the team if you ask your team member in the best possible method. It can bring everyone on the same page.
4. Feedback is important
A leader is a leader because of his followers. Working as part of a team and in a leadership position, a leader must get feedback from his or her followers. This criticism must be viewed in a positive light.
Inquire with your team member or subordinate about what has to be improved in order to achieve better results. Employees are a valuable asset to a company since they are closely involved in all processes. Inquire about input on corporate procedures, organizational culture and environment, employee performance, and future planning. It will eventually lead to the success of your company as well as the development of your workforce.
5. Be a good listener
A leader should master the art of listening. Being in a position of leadership does not always include directing orders and being in the spotlight. A good leader is one who pays attention to their subordinates. Listening may not always imply talking about language. It encompasses both verbal and nonverbal cues.
So, what worked for me?
In summary, and based on my personal experience leading a team, I have made the following choice. I’ve come to know that listening is the best thing you can do for yourself and your team. Apart from that, in this rapidly changing environment, learning new things, having new experiences, and keeping previous experiences in mind before making a decision have really helped me in making the best option possible.
