It does not matter what your professional area is. To grow both personally and professionally, you need to figure out how to be a good leader and learn from those who have already achieved success. The best way to do that is to analyze other recognized leaders, and here are their most recommendable habits so that they may help you:
1. Set priorities every day
Strive every day to identify what is more important so you can concentrate on that first. Learning how to manage your time and starting your day being productive will help you maintain your leadership because you will then be able to spend your time managing your teams. Saying “no” is also essential for productivity when prioritizing our work day.
2. Learn something new every day
A good leader experiences curiosity and satisfies it daily, trying to learn something new every day. Get information, read, take notes, explore new alternatives, be up to date about developments in your industry, etc. Do not be afraid of taking risks and trying new things; for example, new methodologies to make your team grow.
3. Pinpoint your long-term goals
Make a list of your long-term goals. It is not about writing down all those things you would like to do and you have not been able to yet, but more about the extent that you want to take your professional projects to. All of them will require your effort and your time (and your money), and that is why it is a good idea to have them easily visible for you to think about them every day and make decisions in the long term.
4. Don’t forget the experts
Surround yourself with intelligent people who are experts in their fields, more so in those areas on which you have less knowledge. To be a good leader, it is essential that you seek the participation of others in order to achieve continued success. Do not hesitate if you need to ask for help, good leaders do not have all the answers: they make them. If you rely on others, your team will feel esteemed and their motivation will increase.
5. Take care of your health… your emotional health
Something as obvious as taking care of one’s health is essential for everyone, but leaders must also learn to keep their minds balanced to be emotionally healthy and able to meet their high demands and responsibilities. Learn how to take care of the body and value your resting time; it is essential for your emotional balance.
6. Get connected
Establish links and relations with other leaders, learn from them. Share objectives, tell your stories, and offer your trust to others until you get to establish a network of success that will help you achieve your goals. You can turn to them for quick advice and you will feel that you have their support when needed.
Related post: How To Be A Good Leader… To Become A Better Boss (I)
7. Don’t be afraid to make tough decisions
To be a good leader, you need to get over the fear of making decisions. You must be willing to decide on difficult issues, forgetting fear and under no intimidation of any kind from peers or circumstances. Sometimes you will have to make unpopular decisions, but as long as you have the common good of your project in mind, you will get positive results.
8. Raise the bar
Think big. Successful leadership is always about committing to big goals, striving to achieve something “big”. If you only think about small goals, then only small goals will be reached. Work on an ambitious goal that really inspires you and represents an improvement for your project and your environment, which will help you improve your own existence and that of others. Rely on your whole team to achieve this goal. We can recommend you a book: “The Magic of Thinking Big” by David Schwartz.
What are your tips to become a good leader?
Don’t miss our previous post: How To Be A Good Leader… Without Becoming A Bad Boss (II)