Forget the stereotypical leadership image of a buttoned-up
person in a gray suit hauling around a hefty briefcase. Today, standout leaders
come in all shapes and sizes. She could be a blue jeans-clad marketing student,
running a major ecommerce company out of her dorm room. He might be the next
salt-and-pepper-haired, barefoot Steve Jobs, presenting a groundbreaking new
device at a major industry conference.
"Our research indicates that what really matters is
that leaders are able to create enthusiasm, empower their people, instill
confidence and be inspiring to the people around them," says Peter Handal,
chief executive of New York City-based Dale Carnegie Training, a leadership-training
company.
That's a tall order. However, as different as leaders are
today, there are some things great leaders do every day. Here, Handal shares
his five keys for effective leadership:
1. Face challenges.
Great leaders are brave enough to face up to challenging
situations and deal with them honestly. Whether it's steering through a
business downturn or getting struggling employees back on track, effective
leaders meet these challenges openly. Regular communications with your staff,
informing them of both good news and how the company is reacting to challenges
will go a long way toward making employees feel like you trust them and that
they're unlikely to be hit with unpleasant surprises.
"The gossip at the coffee machine is usually 10 times
worse than reality," Handal says. "Employees need to see their
leaders out there, confronting that reality head-on."
2. Win trust.
Employees are more loyal and enthusiastic when they work in
an environment run by people they trust. Building that trust can be done in
many ways. The first is to show employees that you care about them, Handal
says. Take an interest in your employees beyond the workplace. Don't pry, he
advises, but ask about an employee's child's baseball game or college
graduation. Let your employees know that you're interested in their success and
discuss their career paths with them regularly.
When employees, vendors or others make mistakes, don't
reprimand or correct them in anger. Instead, calmly explain the situation and
why their behavior or actions weren't correct, as well as what you expect in
the future. When people know that you aren't going to berate them and that you
have their best interests at heart, they're going to trust you, Handal says.
3. Be authentic.
If you're not a suit, don't try to be one. Employees and
others dealing with your company will be able to tell if you're just pretending
to be someone you're not, Handal says. That could make them question what else
about you might be inauthentic. Have a passion for funky shoes? Wear them. Are
you an enthusiastic and hilarious presenter? Get them laughing. Use your
strengths and personality traits to develop your personal leadership style,
Handal says.
4. Earn respect.
When you conduct yourself in an ethical way and model the
traits you want to see in others, you earn the respect of those around you.
Leaders who are perceived as not "walking their talk" typically don't
get very far, Handal says. This contributes to employees and other stakeholders
having pride in the company, which is an essential part of engagement, Handal
says. Also, customers are less likely to do business with a company if they
don't respect its values or leadership.
5. Stay curious.
Good leaders remain intellectually curious and committed to
learning. They're inquisitive and always looking for new ideas, insights and
information. Handal says the best leaders understand that innovation and new
approaches can come from many places and are always on the lookout for
knowledge or people who might inform them and give them an advantage.
"The most successful leaders I know are truly very
curious people. They're interested in the things around them and that
contributes to their vision," Handal says
BY Gwen Moran | June 14, 2013
Read more:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/227012#ixzz2iTgskOqT
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