The age old question: are leaders born or made?
Let’s first define the word leader. A leader is someone at any level that builds trust, influences others, and has followers.
Some of us have natural leadership abilities: we are comfortable communicating with others, building trusting relationships, setting a vision, and influencing others and decisions. And yet, all of us have leadership growth opportunities to communicate with clarity, build connection, and create value with our direct and cross functional teams.
So with the constantly changing global landscape, what is needed by those stepping into leadership?
Here are three ways to step into leadership and enhance your leadership skills:
1. Ask for feedback from your team, peers, leaders, and key stakeholders.
Start with these feedback questions: What am I doing well? What do I need to stop doing? What do I need to start doing?
2. Enhance your abilities to communicate.
Focus on clarity of message by balancing logic and data and including both motivation (what’s in it for the audience) and inspiration. And make sure you are building relationships with others across your organization.
3. Build your leadership toolbox.
In our Exceptional Leader™ and The Exceptional Leader™ EXCEL programs, we lean into these tools with time and attention.
- Understand the differences between managing and leading
- Set direction – think and plan strategically
- Develop high performance teams
- Execute – strategy – structure – people
- Lead change effectively
- Leader as Coach
While we may have some natural leadership abilities, we need to learn and grow to be the leader our teams and organization need to move into the future. Ask for feedback, enhance your communication, and build your leadership tool box to enhance your leadership.
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