Leader- A person or thing that holds a dominant or superior position within its field, and is able to exercise a high degree of control or influence over others. Are you a leader or a follower? Being a leader doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be a C-level executive or even a mid-level manager. Traditionally, most executives and professionals think of leaders as having a certain level of status or authority. However, a leader could be an employee with no direct reports who has the ability to motivate and inspire their coworkers. Leaders realize that they have a large amount of influence and can create positive change. Are you regularly positioning yourself as a leader in the workplace? Leaders are usually the professionals and executives who are given the best projects, noticed for promotions, and earning raises. It’s true that some people seem as though they were born with innate leadership skills. Leadership can actually be cultivated and improved through self-awareness. If you were never taught how to lead, that is okay. Focus on understanding these three aspects to develop your leadership skills.
1. Personality
There are unique traits, tendencies, and preferences that make you who you are. Once you discover more about yourself, you can use this information to perform better at work and effectively lead others. Do you know which environments you work best in? Have you determined the best role you can serve in on a team? Identifying your personality type is simply a guide to understanding your strengths and weaknesses. When working with clients, I use the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to help determine their personality type. Your personality shouldn’t be used as a negative label that limits your opportunities or to make you feel bad about yourself. Any personality type can be a leader if they utilize their strengths to leave lasting positive change.
2. Energy
How do you show up everyday on the job? Are you energetic and ready to work? Or are you lethargic and slow to take action? Your level of energy is going to have a major effect on the results you see in the workplace. People with positive energy tend to be inspiring and motivating to others, so they are usually the leaders of choice. Professionals and executives with an overwhelming amount of negative energy can be difficult to be around since they usually operate based on fear and doubt. Stress also has a strong influence on your energy level. If you find yourself unable to well due to stress, review these tips for stress management.
3. Attitude
After considering your personality and energy level, your ability to lead will depend primarily on the types of thoughts you’re having. If your thoughts and subsequent actions are positive, it’s common to produce more successful results. If your thoughts and actions are primarily negative, it is usually noticeable and often repels others from you. Leaders who are negative can inspire people using conflict, anger, and manipulation, but this usually leads to creating toxic environments that are not sustainable over the long term. Being conscious of your attitude at work is vital, because it can heavily influence others and your reputation. Everyone has the potential to be a leader. If you are interested in progressing to various levels in your career or growing your business, developing your leadership skills are important. Think about how your personality, energy, and attitude have been displayed in your current role. Are your coworkers compelled to take action based on your leadership style? Which of the areas we discussed could be improved to make the biggest difference in your leadership? If you’d like to discuss developing your leadership skills, sign up for a Vision of Success Session here!
Porschia Parker-Griffin
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