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LEADERSHIP THAT ENCOURAGES FOLLOWERS

Have you ever suffered under the hands of an ineffective leader? I know that I have. Many have been disorganized, critical, lacking in knowledge and skill but unwilling to accept the advise of more experienced team members. While we are there, I've also experienced the tyrants, the bullies, the brain dumpers who think they've delegated effectively and the never available when you need them leaders. Finally, there are the leaders that have access to all the tools but don't let you, then wonder why you don't perform!

My tips on how to be an effective leader are these:

1. Love what you do and who you do it with. If you are passionate about your job, it will help others be passionate also. If you show those in your team kindness, they will respond in kind. It is amazing how many "difficult" relationships are turned around one simple act of kindness.

2. Establish your leadership early on by being confident in who you are without being overbearing. If people think you are confident they are happy to follow your lead.

3. Be a wise judge of character. Recognize what type of team members you have, their strengths and weaknesses. You will see that there are three types of people those that you delegate to and they complete the task with no direction; those you delegate to but need to provide limited direction and those that you have to provide constant supervision to make sure they complete the tasks. Recognize your team members style and tailor your support to suit the person.

4. Make it your mission in life to be a constructive criticizer. Try to balance your criticism with praise and where you see faults help the team member to improve by giving guidance or offering alternative solutions. Constant criticism can be a de-motivating force for those who are following.

5. Be one of those people who live to see others shine. Your team is only as strong as the weakest member. Be the coach of your team, on the sidelines cheering for them to succeed. Expect success and they will rise to that.

6. Be objective. When resolving disputes listen to all sides of the story, then pick a position close to the middle. That way, you will never make the mistake of backing the wrong horse.

7. Research, research, research! Never rely solely on the information that others feed you. Be committed to gaining your own understanding of key information. That way, you limit the opportunities for your leadership to be usurped or manipulated.

8. Be fair. Give praise where praise is due. Give correction where correction is required and whatever you do, try not to show favoritism.

9. Be a good listener. Sometimes team members just need you to listen and they will discover solutions for themselves. A well-timed question can be all that is required to set people on the right track.

10. Give clear instructions. When delegating make sure that the team know what you require, that they have all the resources to be able to do what you want. Follow up regularly to make sure the task doesn't get off track.

11. Finally, be honest. If you don't know something, don't pretend that you do. You'll get found out. If you make a mistake, be honest and admit it. Humility can be endearing.

There is no substitute for good leadership, but as you may have already guessed, good leadership requires effort. A lazy leader will not be a leader for long!

Learn more about this author, Hayley Solich.
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