Effective leadership is mostly made up of good habits. And some of the most important habits aren’t taught in school and can’t be picked up from reading or studying. They can be learned only through experience. But without them, making your mark in leadership will be a struggle. Here are 12 of the most powerful leadership habits
1. Care. The best leaders, the ones who are remembered and admired, are the ones who care not only about their business but also about their people, and whose caring shines through in their words and actions. Care shouldn’t be a four-letter word in our workplace today.
2. Conviction. Every great leader knows that strong convictions precede great actions. Leadership implies movement toward something, and its conviction that provides the direction.
3. Clarity. If you want to lead, you have to know where you’re going. And if you want to lead with influence, you have to get everyone to focus and stay on course. The only way to get results is by becoming absolutely clear about where you’re going and why you’re going there. Clarity helps everyone say yes to the right things and no to the rest.
4. Confidence. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will. People want to know who you are, what you know and where you plan on taking them. Your own confidence has a ripple effect on those you lead.
5. Courage. The courage of leadership lies in giving others the chance to succeed even though you, as the leader, bear the responsibility for getting things done.
6. Commitment. Great business leaders know the power of being responsible. If those who follow you know they can count on you, they will let you know in turn that you can count on them.
7. Celebration. Great leaders are constantly finding ways to honor their people and celebrate their success. Extraordinary leaders understand the importance of marking progress and expressing appreciation for those who have worked long hours and long days.
8. Collaboration. True leaders solicit input and feedback from those around them so that everyone feels they have something to contribute. If you run your organization in silos, you’re undermining your talent and doing harm to your business.
9. Communication. True leaders know how important it is to communicate, and to communicate often. Used effectively, words have the power to motivate people and help them overcome barriers and exceed expectations.
10. Candor. Leading with the truth and insisting on honest and forthright communication builds great relationships and partnerships—in business and in your personal life.
11. Courtesy. Courtesy is simply following the Golden Rule by treating others as you would like to be treated.
12. Credibility. People have to believe in you and have faith in your credibility. Guard it carefully—it takes years to build but only a moment to destroy.
Lead from within: The best leaders are always working to learn new skills and habits to improve their leadership.
N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R
The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
- 12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
- A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
- How to Succeed as A New Leader
- 12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
- 4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
- The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
- The Deception Trap of Leadership
Photo Credit: iStockPhotos
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.
Kevin Nemetz
27. Dec, 2018
Lolly,
Love your insight and knowledge on this subject. I can certainly related to your C’s and find them very thoughtful and thorough. I speak on some occasions assisting salesforces on how to be relevant in speaking with C-Level leaders. I suggest to them that they need to be “Consultative” to create value. Show you have knowledge of a C-Levels company in the area of their Clients, Competition and Culture and you will be welcomed. I have tried to aspire to deliver most of your list but also consider my leadership to value the area of being “Consultative” with my employees. Taken from another inspiration “Seek first to understand, then be Understood”. All the best,