Being a leader and a good one at that is extremely hard. However, what’s even more hard is learning to be a leader, which is basically what most business students are trying to do. Being a leader isn’t a gift from above. It is just another skill that requires continuous work and effort to develop.
Of course, some people have this ability from early childhood, being able to start and organize little play sessions, while others need to work hard during their adulthood to become dependent leaders. No matter your case, you will still benefit from learning about the most important aspects of being a dependable leader.
Contents
- 1 1. Knowing Psychology and Applying It Is a Big Plus
- 2 2. People Often Forget the Importance of Rhetoric
- 3 3. After Speaking Out, Always Listen Carefully to Feedback
- 4 4. Remember, There’s No “I” in “Team”
- 5 5. Being Precise Is Critical
- 6 6. Stay Human – Don’t Distance Yourself From Your Subordinates
- 7 7. Consistency and Being Just Is a Must
- 8 8. Losing Your Temper Is Always Bad
1. Knowing Psychology and Applying It Is a Big Plus
Firstly, knowing psychology is invaluable, allowing you to find the only right approach to each employee. Thanks to psychology, you can determine the priorities of each. Someone needs a material reward, someone – only recognition, while others need something entirely different. This knowledge will empower you as a leader.
2. People Often Forget the Importance of Rhetoric
Speak competently, clearly, concisely, clearly articulating your thoughts. No person should mockingly correct you. The business sphere is very people-oriented, and you commonly cannot account for the things that will occur and problems that will arise. So being able to improvise and adapt to any communicative situation, showing extreme confidence is essential for successful businesspeople.
3. After Speaking Out, Always Listen Carefully to Feedback
It is even more important than talking. Listen with genuine interest, analyzing and asking questions. After a person is asked to speak and makes it clear that their opinion is important, there is a much better chance that they will hear you in return.
4. Remember, There’s No “I” in “Team”
Planning meetings are a must for a team. During them, people should periodically repeat the name of the company, saying “we” and restating the importance of the team being a close-knit family. You can order T-shirts with the company logo and attend various activities together as a team. Your subordinates must feel an organic part of the whole, a necessary part of the company.
5. Being Precise Is Critical
Even if doing it for yourself, formulate the stages of business development in the near future as accurately as possible and convey the ideas to subordinates. All this should be done in the form: task – deadline. For example, increase sales by 0.1% in a week. But not at all “improve our business processes someday in the future.”
For example, students often must summarize big texts into small papers filled with facts. When getting a professional summary writer to craft such a paper, you know the expert will be as specific and straight-to-the-point as possible, so business students should set this as an example for themselves.
6. Stay Human – Don’t Distance Yourself From Your Subordinates
If the usual faithful and devoted secretary has been walking with tears in their eyes for three days now and is continually making small mistakes, it doesn’t make sense to shout. Instead, you as a leader should care about their personal situation too and try to find out what’s going on. Such attention and understanding are remembered and will be appreciated for a long time. This way, you really will be reiterating that all your team members are not simple cogs in a big mechanism, but real people that the firm cares about.
7. Consistency and Being Just Is a Must
Always keep your promises, whether it is a salary increase or permission for an additional day off. It is basic trust-building, and the subordinates will eventually believe your words and your actions. Also, picking favorites or having different treatments for various people also must not be done. All of this will result in team members feeling safe with the team dynamics, only boosting their work efficiency.
8. Losing Your Temper Is Always Bad
Do not shout, do not be rude, respect yourself and your colleagues. It is unnecessary to scare people by getting fired ten times – on the 11th time, no one will believe you. Additionally, do you really need to feel all that stress and ruin your mood too? Definitely not, so handle your subordinates as the adults they are – they are free to choose anything they want, so, by screaming, you’re only making yourself look unprofessional and as if you have an attitude problem.
