When most of us hear the word leadership, we tend to only think of leaders in the traditional sense such as those who are in companies, government, or heads of non-profit organizations. Everyone is a leader. Not everyone is meant to be a leader in a company or own a business, nor does everyone want to.
You do not have to be leading an army or running a multi-billion dollar corporation to be considered a leader. Parents, therapists, teachers, solopreneurs, consultants, coaches, mentors, and others who interact with people on a regular basis are all leaders. Learning and studying the characteristics and skills of leadership is something everyone from any vocation or background can use for their benefit and the benefit of others.
For most people, effective leadership doesn’t come naturally. You have to spend time building and refining your leadership skills. One of the key skill sets you should work one is your people skills. This can include communication, emotional intelligence and how you influence or motivate others. The goal is to have dynamic high energy relationships.
Every moment of our lives we are in a relationship be it with your co-workers, family, teachers, even virtual relationships. Take a moment to think about the key relationships in your life, both professional and personal. Determine whether or not these are dynamic high energy relationships. Keep in mind, as a leader, you don’t always have to have everyone agree or view issues the same way for it to be an effective relationship. That would be boring wouldn’t it?
When thinking about your interactions, here are three things for you to consider.
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Do you listen? Listening is one of the most important elements of communication but most people do not do it well. There are so many distractions around, with cell phones being a primary one, that inhibit our ability to listen and truly be present in the conversation. When you are fully present, meetings times can be reduced as they will go faster and people are more engaged. People will notice you are attentive and take meetings more seriously. Listen without judgment, don’t assume you know what the person is going to say. You may perceive someone as not adding value but what they say may just surprise you might learn something.
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Do you seek input from team/family members? Seek input from others when discussing goals and plans to reach your objectives. When individuals feel like they are part of the process they take ownership in the mission/task. Don’t just tell them what you want them to do, but ask for their input as well. They’ll be more motivated to help you. This leads to increased morale and increased productivity and you will be more inclined to delegate tasks.
- Do you lead by example? Whether you’re head of a large corporation or head of your family, the best way to lead is by example. It builds trust and admiration and you can easily get much more accomplished in a shorter amount of time. While actions speak louder than words, you still need to watch what you say. Words can have a serious impact on morale and enthusiasm. A few harsh words from a leader can discourage a team and make it difficult for them to show support and meet goals.
As you start to take a look at the key relationships in your life, you may notice there are some changes you need to make. Regardless of how you are serving as a leader, if it is as a parent, coach, or Army General, you should strive to have dynamic high energy relationships. Take the time to develop your leadership skills so you can radically increase the amount of success that you experience in all areas of your life. If you or your organization would like additional training or coaching on how to create high energy and impacting relationship, send me an email at cowens@infinitycoaching.net. Together we can develop a plan that will strengthen your team and your relationships.
Carolyn R. Owens has over 25 years of proven experience and serves as a Career Strategist, Leadership and Life Coach. She is the Chairwoman/CEO of Infinity Coaching, Inc. where they help you up-level your skills so you can up-level your income. Infinity Coaching, Inc. provides one-on-one and group coaching, organizational training, personality assessments and a signature program, the Infinity Coaching Inner Circle. Find out more at https://infinitycoaching.net
This article by Carolyn R Owens first appeared on Go Read and has been updated and adapted for this blog.
