Different cultural and historical eras, a set of political, economic, social conditions and standards of living in society imply the presence of leaders with different character qualities sufficient to solve pressing problems of the activities of a group, class, or organization.
The demand for such people is especially high these days, which means the supply is also growing. From this follows the development of a struggle for the place of leader, which can only be taken and retained by those who possess certain leadership qualities.
In the previous lesson, we looked at how ideas about a leader and his character traits changed and focused on the fact that knowledge about the phenomenon of leadership has gone from the idea that one must be born a leader to the belief that almost any person who has raised and raised one can become one. developed leadership qualities.
It is important to remember that different aspirations require the development of specific qualities: the president of a university and an army general, the owner of a small business and the director of a multinational corporation are all leaders, but the set of qualities necessary for successful activity in a particular field and achieving success is different. At the same time, there are also common character traits without which it is simply impossible to become a leader.
5 best books to help you become a leader
- "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John Maxwell . The author questions the phrase “Leaders are born, not made.” In each chapter, the author reveals the essence of the laws of leadership and, using the example of others, shows how you can apply them in your life.
- "Turn Your Ship Around" by David Marquet. The book was written by a nuclear submarine captain. In it, he talks about his experience of changing the mechanism of interaction between crew members and overcoming any obstacles to the cherished goal.
- "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey . An international bestseller for people seeking to develop their potential. The author says that every person can overcome any obstacles by improving themselves and becoming the best version of themselves.
- "On the limit. A week without self-pity” Eric Bertrand. The author’s main idea is to live just 7 days at the limit of your capabilities. In the book, he talks about the intensive program you need to follow to become the best version of yourself. After completing the intensive course, many obstacles will seem like nothing to you.
- “Leader’s Charisma”, Radislav Gandapas. A well-known leadership specialist in Russia tells in his book how you can develop the ability to influence people, motivate, inspire and captivate with a common goal.
3 best motivational films for leaders:
- "Wall Street". The film tells the story of a young broker and his stunning ups and downs. He is ready to do anything to achieve success in his career. The film will be useful for those who are unsure of themselves and are afraid of making a mistake. Remember, mistakes build character.
- "Harvard Bum." The film is based on real events. The heroine, who grew up in a family of drug addicts, is trying to get out from the very bottom of her life and she succeeds. She finds the strength to get up and move forward. If you feel like nothing is working out and you're on the verge of despair, watch this movie. Perhaps after watching, you will change your point of view and begin to act.
- "The Pursuit of Happyness". The main character's life is going downhill. The wife left, leaving her little son, and was evicted from the apartment. He gets his dream job - in a trading company. True, I'm still an intern. Constant malnutrition, lack of sleep, spending the night in the toilet and free hostels. He endured everything. He built a business and became a successful millionaire. This film will be useful for those who have lost faith in victory when faced with insurmountable obstacles.
The heroes of these films did not give up. They fought for their destiny, despite hunger, fatigue and failure. There is a lot to learn from them. At different times in your life, when it seems like everything is lost and you can’t achieve anything, watch these films. They will help you cope with despondency and charge you with motivation.
Additional materials for this lesson
You can also read useful materials on leadership in the special “Leadership and Relationships” section of our blog. The topic of this lesson is complemented by the following articles:
- How to Arouse Empathy in Others
- SMART goals
- Getting Things Done by David Allen
- Time management or time management for leaders
Please also note that some test questions for this lesson, as well as for the leadership exam, are based on the material in the above articles. Now that we've covered some tips for improving your leadership skills, let's move on to the next lesson.
Now that we've covered some tips for improving your leadership skills, let's move on to the next lesson.
Leadership Development
Creating a leadership development program on your own is not an easy task, but it is quite possible. When setting such a goal, you must be as determined as possible to achieve your goals and clearly focus on practical steps. Determination and perseverance are important qualities of a leader.
The first thing you need to clearly understand is that it is impossible to become a leader in a day, a week, or a month. Based on this, you should set specific goals for yourself: from short-term (what you need to work on first) to long-term (how you see your life in a couple of years).
Below we offer several exercises to develop leadership qualities:
| 1 | The classic “Who am I?” exercise. Write down 10 answers to this question on a sheet of paper. Each answer must begin with the pronoun “I” and be specific. For example, this could be the entry “I am a student.” After recording your answers, study them carefully. The goal at this stage is to determine what is preventing you from becoming a leader. If among the answers there are options like “I’m a bad friend” or “I’m a quiet person,” think about how you can correct the shortcomings and start working in this direction./td> |
| 2 | A leader is distinguished by a clear understanding of the goals of his activities. Write down on a piece of paper entitled “My Goal” everything you would like to achieve as a result of developing yourself as a leader. These may be personal qualities that you think are missing or a desire to occupy a certain position at work. Be critical and don’t think too long; there will still be time to draw up a detailed plan. As a result, you will receive material for initial analysis and establish what you should work on first. You will understand how you can become better, develop the missing qualities in yourself and begin to work daily on developing a leader in yourself./td> |
| 3 | Celebrate your successes. Make it a habit at the end of each day to take a few minutes to write down on a piece of paper at least 3 things that worked best for you that day. You need to do this even if you had a really bad day. This exercise will teach you to see the positive and celebrate it, and not highlight the negative, as most people do. Positive thinking is an important element of a leader's character. By focusing on the successful aspects of your work, you will also gain additional motivation. |
And a few more tips that you should take note of.
What is the difference between a leader and a manager?
A leader is not always a manager, and not every manager is a leader. Look: the manager manages goal setting, controls performers and relies on analytics; leader - inspires the team, increases its involvement and inspires trust. Sometimes these are different people. And if this is the same person, they will definitely say about him: “god of team leads” 
Companies value leaders very much because they are often about innovation. They are original, support change and think long term. It is leaders who can make the team’s work as efficient as possible and give the company impetus for development, which is sometimes critical for the survival of the business. Cultivate your leadership skills and you will be worth your weight in gold.
Formal and informal leadership
In any team, two people can be formed at once, who will lead formally or informally.
The first type leads officially, in accordance with the job description and position. He does not always turn out to be pleasant for the department, and not in every case he can win the respect of the people to whom he assigns tasks.
The second type of commander arises independently, without appointment from the owner of the company. This is just one of the employees who can defend the interests of colleagues, make a proposal, and lead. They believe in him and follow him, they trust and consult him. But his opinions and decisions will be controlled by higher managers.
Informally, someone begins to lead if management begins to lead in an authoritarian manner. In this scenario, real bosses are perceived as tyrants, their appointments and orders are met with hostility.
If the company is managed in a liberalized or democratic style, then informal leadership arises occasionally. The authorities are not afraid, there is no need to defend their interests.
Ability to manage complex projects/ability to delegate
The leader himself must be able to manage complex projects. When managing a project, it is possible to act as a “player coach” who leads the project himself, sharing his expertise with the team. The manager, as a rule, must be able to correctly distribute the roles of employees in the project and calmly delegate tasks. For example, you need to select a large number of personnel for a new plant more efficiently. At the initial stage, the leader will competently build communication at all levels of the project, which will become the key to success. The manager will assemble the personnel department and distribute roles and areas of responsibility, which does not guarantee the necessary involvement of line managers at the start of the project.
Practical recommendations
To get closer to becoming a leader, try to implement the following habits in your life:
- Be a proactive person.
Changing your life and changing yourself is in your power. In other words, the responsibility for what happens to you is entirely in your hands. Not happy with what you have now? Take action and change it. - Get out of your comfort zone.
Do something you've never done before but have dreamed of. Learn to dance or draw, take up rock climbing - do something you never dared to do before. Don't wait for the right opportunity or for someone who will agree to join you. This will teach you to look at things more broadly, embody your ideas and be independent in your choice. - Commit to continuous personal growth.
Improve yourself all the time. Be interested in the latest developments and innovations in your field of work and in related areas, deepen your competence. Develop creativity and creativity. This will teach you lively thinking and non-standard actions. - Become a leader in life.
It is not enough to be a leader only in the office. Be active in non-work relationships with other people, family, friends with whom you play football or tennis. Challenge yourself to be a leader in all areas of your life. - Develop self-confidence .
It is faith in one’s own strengths, and not arrogance and arrogance, that is the hallmark of a leader’s character. - Hone your ability to communicate with people.
Successful communication skills are of great importance for a leader. We will talk about them in one of the following lessons.
By keeping all of the above in mind and constantly cultivating the character traits of a leader, you will be able to develop them and achieve positive results.
Article information
This article was co-authored by. Maureen Taylor is the CEO and founder of SNP Communications, a corporate communications company in the San Francisco Bay Area. Helping leaders, business founders, and innovators in all industries improve communication and feedback for over 25 years.
Categories: Personal Development
In other languages:
English: Improve Leadership Quality, Español: mejorar la calidad del liderazgo, Italiano: Migliorare la Qualità della Leadership, Português: Melhorar a Qualidade da Liderança, العربية: تحسين مهاراتك القيادية , ไทย: พัฒนาคุณสมบัติความเป็นผู้นำ, Français: améliorer les qualités de leadeurship, Nederlands: Leiderschapskwaliteiten verbeteren, 日本語: 指導力を改善する, हिन्दी: अपनी लीडरशिप क्व ालिटी में सुधार लाएं, 中文: 提高领导力, Bahasa Indonesia: Meningkatkan Kualitas Kepemimpinan, Tiếng Việt: Cải thiện ph ẩm chất lãnh đạo
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Goal setting
Don't be a samurai who "has no goal, only a path." Improved goal setting helps to formulate a vision as a tangible result and plan steps towards it. If all your actions directly or indirectly affect the goal, you will reach it. Additionally, a leader with a clear plan energizes and motivates others.
How to improve your goal setting
BOOKS:
- Brian Tracy "Achieving a Goal"
- Robert Maurer “Step by step to achieve your goal. Kaizen method"
- Theo Tsaousidis, The Brain with Obstacles. 7 hidden barriers that prevent you from achieving your goals"
VIDEO:
- Reggie Rivers: “ If you want to achieve your goals, don't focus on them ” (in English)
- Playlist of five TED Talks “ Tips to help you set and reach your goals ” (each video has a Russian translation)
FREE CLASSES:
- Seminar by Margulan Seisembayev “ Kaizen planning as the basis of a happy life ”
- GeekBrains: Course “ How can a team lead organize work in order to maintain team efficiency and not burn out himself ”
QUESTIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS:
- What goals have you achieved over the past year? What didn't work?
- Try to understand the nature of past goals - were they your internal desires or external impulses?
- Determine what goals you want to achieve in a year. Plan each month, ensuring that they contribute to achieving your annual goals.
- Learn SMART goal setting and set goals using this methodology.
- Record not only your successes, but also your failures. If something didn’t work out, try to explain to yourself in writing why.
- Determine your starting position in relation to the goal. This is your starting point that will help you plan your first steps.
