Power skills | Leadership
Acting like the leader you want to become
Doing small things every day at work can get you noticed for the right reasons and help you to climb your management career ladder faster.
Why we need leaders
Leaders and managers exist in the workplace to provide direction, guidance, support, motivation and inspiration. They help the team to work together most effectively with plans, tasks, communication and collaboration, and ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals and visions.
There will constantly need to be a progression of people moving into management level in a business and the current team leaders will always be on the lookout for the people who they believe have the qualities to move up into these roles. These are skills that can be learnt and honed if you have the right mindset, determination and the desire to be a great leader.
Nine core qualities needed by a leader
QUICK TIPS
Three management mistakes you don’t want to make
1
Making it about you
One of the biggest mistakes you can make in business is making it about you and trying to look clever. Just like in sport, leadership is about the team not the leader; it’s about working out ways to motivate others and make everyone else better—it shouldn’t be about how to make you look better. By being as helpful as you can, you will be recognised as a brilliant leader of others.
2
Telling not teaching
Management is about teaching other people how to do things so they are empowered to get on with things and grow. It’s not about micromanaging or expecting everyone to do things exactly how you would do them. Give people the space to do it their way and you will get a rich tapestry of talent. Have a growth mindset so that you are always learning something new and encourage that mindset in others.
3
Not developing your own style
The best leadership teams will be made up of a diverse range of people. Although you need core abilities like communication, connection and consistency to be a good leader, it’s important to do it your way and be yourself. In being authentic you will create trust, you’ll enjoy what you do and you’ll gain respect from your colleagues.This could be as simple as asking if anyone fancies going for a walk at lunchtime or you could ask your manager about arranging after work drinks or a team activity. Make sure whatever you do is inclusive and accessible to everyone in your office or team.
RESOURCES
Check out these five resources for more tips and motivation to develop your leadership skills and style:
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