1. Make Others Feel Safe to Speak-Up
Many times leaders intimidate their colleagues with their title
and power when they walk into a room. Successful leaders deflect attention away
from themselves and encourage others to voice their opinions. They are experts
at making others feel safe to speak-up and confidently share their
perspectives and points of view. They use their executive presence to create an approachable environment.
2. Make Decisions
Successful leaders are expert decision makers. They either
facilitate the dialogue to empower their colleagues to reach a strategic
conclusion or they do it themselves. They focus on “making things happen” at
all times – decision making activities that sustain progress. Successful
leaders have mastered the art of politicking and thus don’t waste their time on
issues that disrupt momentum. They know how to make 30
decisions in 30 minutes.
3. Communicate Expectations
Successful leaders are great communicators, and this is
especially true when it comes to “performance expectations.” In doing so, they
remind their colleagues of the organization’s core values and mission statement
– ensuring that their vision is properly translated and actionable objectives
are properly executed.
I had a boss that managed the team by reminding us of the
expectations that she had of the group. She made it easy for the team to stay
focused and on track. The protocol she implemented – by clearly communicating
expectations – increased performance and helped to identify those on the team
that could not keep up with the standards she expected from us.
4. Challenge People to Think
The most successful leaders understand their colleagues’
mindsets, capabilities and areas for improvement. They use this
knowledge/insight to challenge their teams to think and stretch them to reach
for more. These types of leaders excel in keeping their people on their toes,
never allowing them to get comfortable and enabling them with the tools to
grow.
If you are not thinking, you’re not learning new things. If
you’re not learning, you’re not growing – and over time becoming irrelevant in
your work.
5. Be Accountable to Others
Successful leaders allow their colleagues to manage them. This
doesn’t mean they are allowing others to control them – but rather becoming
accountable to assure they are being proactive to their colleagues needs.
Beyond just mentoring and sponsoring selected employees, being
accountable to others is a sign that your leader is focused more on your
success than just their own.
6. Lead by Example
Leading by example sounds easy, but few leaders are consistent
with this one. Successful leaders practice what they preach and are mindful of
their actions. They know everyone is watching them and therefore are incredibly
intuitive about detecting those who are observing their every move, waiting to
detect a performance shortfall.
7. Measure & Reward Performance
Great leaders always have a strong “pulse” on business
performance and those people who are the performance champions. Not only do
they review the numbers and measure performance ROI, they are active in acknowledging
hard work and efforts (no matter the result). Successful leaders never take
consistent performers for granted and are mindful of rewarding them.
8. Provide Continuous Feedback
Employees want their leaders to know that they are paying
attention to them and they appreciate any insights along the way. Successful
leaders always provide feedback and they welcome reciprocal feedback by
creating trustworthyrelationships
with their colleagues. They understand the power of perspective and have
learned the importance of feedback early on in their career as it has served them to enable
workplace advancement.
9. Properly Allocate and Deploy Talent
Successful leaders know their talent pool and how to use it.
They are experts at activating the capabilities of their colleagues and knowing
when to deploy their unique skill sets given the circumstances at hand.
10. Ask Questions, Seek Counsel
Successful leaders ask questions and seek counsel all the time.
From the outside, they appear to know-it-all – yet on the inside, they have a
deep thirst for knowledge and constantly are on the look-out to learn new
things because of their commitment to making themselves better through the
wisdom of others.
11. Problem Solve; Avoid Procrastination
Successful leaders tackle issues head-on and know how to
discover the heart of the matter at hand. They don’t procrastinate and thus become incredibly proficient
at problem solving; they learn from and don’t avoid uncomfortable circumstances
(they welcome them).
Getting ahead in life is about doing the things that most people
don’t like doing.
12. Positive Energy & Attitude
Successful leaders create a positive and inspiring workplace
culture. They know how to set the tone and bring an attitude that motivates their colleagues
to take action. As such, they are likeable, respected and
strong willed. They don’t allow failures to disrupt momentum.
13. Be a Great Teacher
Many employees in the workplace will tell you that their leaders
have stopped being teachers. Successful leaders never stop teaching because
they are so self-motivated to learn themselves. They use teaching to keep their
colleagues well-informed and knowledgeable through statistics, trends, and
other newsworthy items.
Successful leaders take the time to mentor their colleagues and
make the investment to sponsor those who have proven they are able and eager to
advance.
14. Invest in Relationships
Successful leaders don’t focus on protecting their domain –
instead they expand it by investing in mutually beneficial relationships.
Successful leaders associate themselves with “lifters and other leaders” –
the types of people that can broaden their sphere of influence.
Not only for their own advancement, but that of others.
Leaders share the harvest of their success to help build
momentum for those around them.
15. Genuinely Enjoy Responsibilities
Successful leaders love being leaders – not for the sake of
power but for the meaningful and purposeful impact they can create. When you
have reached a senior level of leadership – it’s about your ability to serve
others and this can’t be accomplished unless you genuinely enjoy what you do.
In the end, successful leaders are able to sustain their success
because these 15 things ultimately allow them to increase the value of their
organization’s brand – while at the same time minimize the operating risk
profile. They serve as the enablers of talent, culture and results.
Posted by Sharon Simmons, President of Business and Professional Women of Boulder County and Legislative Chair BPW Colorado ssimmons@bpwcolorado.org
#6 is the most important. Others watch us...even when we don't think they are. Being consistent, regardless of who is present, brings a credibility and integrity others can trust.
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