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Leadership can best be described as the art of inspiring people to work toward a common objective.
Of course, there are multiple qualities needed for a person to become influential as a leader.
They possess positive attributes in communication, ability to delegate, agility and adaptability for change, integrity, empathy, gratitude and most of all – self-awareness.
Here are the first three steps to evolve from a manager to a leader:
1. Leaders develop a mindset for personal and professional growth.
A person’s career stalls if they have a rigid, fixed mindset. They arrogantly assume they have the capabilities, skills and talents without being self-aware.
But with a growth mindset, the person is savvy enough to embrace change and they know they have to continue to grow because they have self-awareness.
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The person who has a fixed mindset panics in the face of adversity. But a growth-minded person sees every problem as an opportunity for growth and envisions multiple possible solutions.
Furthermore, leaders inspire growth-mindsets in their employees. They start by focusing on encouraging footwork. They know how important effort is. They applaud employees who make efforts to overcome obstacles.
2. Leaders prioritize in favor of emotional intelligence.
Why emotional intelligence? People who have emotional intelligence (EI) look inward and have self-awareness.
They also have “other-awareness.” They understand the importance of unity. That means they make certain that they make a positive contribution to the overall welfare of the organization.
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The ability to evaluate their own emotions is important, too. Leaders readily notice the stress factors or negative thoughts and feelings that hinder their EI.
And empathy is vital, as well, in inspiring others.
3. Leaders cultivate a value system.
They understand what’s important in their deepest values. They take pride in their values as a unique personal attribute.
They rely on their values in decision-making and in dealing with problems.
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They learn from history. Often, they have think about past problems and the principles they used to overcome issues.
Importantly, by staying mindful of their values, they enjoy their work. Additionally, they’re more intuitive about their employees which means they are better able to lead them.
From the Coach’s Corner, editor’s picks for leadership:
To be Respected at Work, Maintain Your Power – Appearances determine whether or not you’re respected in the workplace. This means you must be seen as as a professional and never give away your power. It’s also a prerequisite for leadership. To maintain your power, here are eight tips.
Vital Qualities to Jump from Being a Manager to Leader – Leaders are made, not born. You will become a leader if you undergo the lifetime transforming process of learning, observing and teaching. Here’s how to make the transition.
13 Precepts for Leadership to Disrupt Your Marketplace – Leaders don’t focus on driving their employees to work harder. Leaders strive to make their vision a reality by seeing to it that employees are more efficient and are unified in supporting business objectives. Here’s how.
A Reputation for Leadership Involves More than Self-Promotion – Your goal for leadership should not merely to become popular. Your top goal should be to get respect. Respect is the ultimate benefit from being a good listener. Here’s how.
How Leaders Inspire Employees to Follow Vision for Growth – When a company’s vision is not implemented, the organization suffers dire consequences. Leaders also know the situation is preventable.
“How we think shows through in how we act. Attitudes are mirrors of the mind. They reflect thinking.”
-David Joseph Schwartz
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