“A true leader has confidence to stand alone, courage to make the tough decisions with the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He doesn’t set out to be a leader, but becomes one though the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.” – Douglas MacArthur
Whether you are leading the military, a start-up, or a top achieving sales team, succeeding as a leader in 2018 will require you to get clear on your goals and identify what really matters to your company. Identifying key leadership behaviors will help define your role for the upcoming year. Research shows that certain leadership indicators account for 89 percent of the effectiveness in modern enterprise.
Employs Measured Decision Making
Impulsive decision making can be a hindrance to problem solving. This year, resolve to gather all the facts before finalizing any decision. Avoid the pitfalls associated with reactive decision making, by taking time to identify and carefully consider the most reasonable options. By utilizing a step-by-step approach, you can make more deliberate and thoughtful decisions. First, organize relevant information. Next, define any alternatives. Finally, choose the most satisfying option.
Communicates Their Vision
This is essential to creating a results-oriented culture. This may prove difficult, though, if you struggle with translating the same message across different organizational outfits or teams. Communication expert Ben Decker recommends these tips:
- Consider the needs of your audience
- Target your message to ensure its relevance
- Identify measurable goals, in common, for each group
- Show each group the benefits of your vision
Strives to Be an Active Listener
This is one of the most powerful tools in your leadership arsenal. Active listening skills is the most effective way to show support, gain new perspective, and solve challenges. Specifically, leaders can exhibit superb listening skills through the following activities:
- Verbally acknowledge the needs and requests of all stakeholders
- Focus on the conversation at hand instead of multi-tasking
- Resist the temptation to interrupt
- Give the speaker 100 percent of your attention
- Repeat or paraphrase back to the other party to ensure you are on the same page.
Creates a Supportive Environment by Embracing Diversity
Organizations run by diverse teams deliver results. Research by McKinsey proves that diverse companies were more likely to outperform companies without such policies. These companies were more likely to produce innovative new products and develop new business than were more homogenous teams. Here are a few goals for creating diversity:
- Use unbiased recruitment and selection methods
- Empower staff to use their strengths, individually
- Implement diversity training for sensitivity and assimilation
The success and reputation of an organization hinges upon strong leadership. As MacArthur so beautifully expressed, leadership is a multifaceted role that relies on strong performance to achieve industry excellence.
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