Most leaders strive to excel in their jobs. They recognize that great leaders must promote purpose, clarify vision, create accountability and offer fair feedback – but great leadership also requires nurturing certain internal habits which may often go overlooked.
Great leaders understand failure is inevitable and do not blame themselves, while giving credit when appropriate.
1. Listening
A great leader listens and respects what his/her constituents have to say, making time for all regardless of intelligence, education or skill level. This is key in creating relationships which build trust and collaboration.
Though we might believe we’re good listeners, it can sometimes be challenging to tune out distractions and focus on one person at a time. To improve your listening skills, repeat what they are saying aloud before asking clarifying questions to show care and make them feel valued. Also validating their thoughts and emotions as this will keep them engaged with what’s being discussed.
Recalling is often where people struggle. To improve this stage, try focusing on one thing at a time and eliminating distractions such as phone conversations or looking at your watch. Furthermore, taking notes during meetings may also prove helpful in improving recalling.
Evaluation is the stage in which leaders sort through information and make judgments on its significance, how it was delivered, whether there might be bias or exaggerations etc. An experienced leader can assess a situation effectively and give constructive, productive feedback in this stage.
2. Respect
Great leaders understand that the first step to developing others is developing themselves. That is why great leaders take time to get to know themselves better and how their teams function best, taking steps such as learning about yourself. Only this way can teams be lead toward success!
Most discussions of respect regard it as an intricate attitude with various components, including cognitive (beliefs, acknowledgments, judgments, deliberations and commitment), affective and conative components that encompass beliefs, acknowledgments, judgments deliberations commitment. There are also valuational aspects, such as which objects merit respect? What relationship exists between respect and other concepts such as esteem, honor love admiration reverence recognition tolerance toleranceness dignity etc? Can something that was respected be lost and can lost respect be recovered?
Great leaders know the power of being honest with themselves is at the core of reaching their highest potential. By accepting all aspects of themselves–their flaws as well as their strengths–they know it gives them true freedom to pursue their ambitions.
Great leaders take time to appreciate those around them. They realize that teams cannot thrive through egotism and are quick to give credit where credit is due. Great leaders also are open-minded when it comes to accepting alternative ideas from those they lead – whether this means giving up their own ideas for those of which could prove superior.
Removing trash doesn’t seem beneath them; that is because a great leader understands that small actions add up to big results and never assume anything is too minor or unimportant to do for their team. Doing this shows their appreciation of those they work with while helping maintain an equal balance between personal and professional lives.
3. Action
Action can be defined in many different ways, but in general terms it refers to any movement which seeks to attain an end or objective. Sometimes this term refers to legal proceedings or events within a story or play; at other times it’s used for everyday human activities like walking and running – as well as any process which creates perceptible changes within our surroundings.
Great leaders take action on issues that matter and are not afraid of challenges. They know that by remaining comfortable with the status quo, their careers and personal lives won’t advance, so they make an effort to challenge it – after all, growth usually happens when we step outside our comfort zones and accept new, exciting opportunities.
Great leaders recognize their own mistakes and admit them openly and honestly to their team members. While this can be challenging for anyone, leaders should find it essential that they can admit when they have made errors or committed blunders; any attempt at hiding or covering up mistakes sends the wrong signal about how much care is put into their role or job.
Excellent leaders make sure they show appreciation to those who help them, treating everyone equally with equal respect. No matter if it’s something as basic as taking out the trash or more complex like organizing an employee appreciation event – great leaders understand that all jobs matter and treat those they employ with gratitude to ensure optimal performance from their teams.
4. Take Out the Trash
Great leaders don’t see emptying trash cans as beneath them; instead they realize their greatest assets are their team members and strive to treat them well.
Effective leaders appreciate beautiful things, delicious meals and wine at times – but without going overboard with their indulgence. Instead, they eat and drink to nourish their bodies but without risking their health in doing so.
Leaders must be brutally honest with themselves – not in terms of self-loathing, but more so through raw honesty that empowers them to seek feedback and influence what happens to themselves and others. By understanding this brutal truth, leaders are empowered to have greater impact in shaping what occurs – they have the ability to transform even negative experiences into something positive – this concept is known as E+R=O and one of the secrets to making leaders truly transformative.
5. Thank You
One of the more under-appreciated habits of great leaders is thanking others. From formal meetings with colleagues to casual interactions with friends, expressing our thanks in language appropriate is crucial to showing our gratitude and feeling accepted by everyone around us. English offers various phrases for saying thank you/you’re welcome depending on what phrase best fits the context.
Use of the appropriate phrase can help avoid miscommunication and help ensure a more harmonious dialogue with those you speak with, such as your boss or call center agent. In such situations, it would be more polite to say “thanks” than simply “you.”
A great leader understands the value of their team, never considering anything as beneath them. Additionally, they recognize the significance of being an example to others and find gratitude an effective way to do just that – it makes a positive statement with little effort involved!