Strong: able to withstand great force or pressure. synonyms: secure, well built, indestructible, well fortified, well protected, solid
A leader is not born. A leader is created and the whole process starts inside the most dangerous place you’ll ever encounter – your own mind. How can you become a strong leader who inspires others, drives people toward excellence, holds people accountable, and instills a sense of trust? Learning what makes a great leader is your first step.
“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.” – Jim Rohn
Here are some things you can do to become the leader you’ve always wanted to be:
1. Control yourself. Every great leader in history has had to become a master of self-discipline and willpower in order to stay focused on the big picture. If you don’t have a goal or the drive to achieve it, you can’t lead others to attain theirs.
• Follow through in everything you do. As challenging as it may be, you need to be disciplined enough to be where you need to be, when you need to be there, whether you want to or not. By being strong in your resolve and resisting temptation to give up, you are setting an example for others to live up to.
• Choose your emotional response to a situation carefully. Sometimes you’ll need to practice the art of silencing your inner thoughts when they’re not appropriate in order to set a positive example.
“For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories.” – Plato
2. Project your goals. If the people you’re leading don’t completely understand the deeper meaning in their work, they won’t share your vision or work ethic. Every step of the way, communicate with your team to make sure they’re on the same wavelength and know what you expect of them.
• Get your team involved in the planning process and the implementation of your ideas. This gives everyone a greater sense of ownership toward the end result.
“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” – Warren Bennis
3. Praise highly and criticize constructively. The way you praise and criticize others can make all the difference in being able to lead effectively.
• Make sure you publicly praise the people who do excellent work for you. You’ll give the person a sense of accomplishment and the drive to do even better.
• When someone does something wrong, offer constructive criticism and do it privately. Suggest solutions on how they can improve and take the time to answer any questions. They’ll accept your input more willingly if they know it’s done to help and not to harm.
“Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” – Sam Walton
4. Know your people. You can’t truly lead a group of people unless you truly
understand their hopes, dreams, struggles, pains, and goals. All the good intentions in the world mean nothing unless you have a true sense of the people you’re working with.
• Talk to your team and get to know them. Getting to know each other on a
personal level will strengthen the bond between you. They’ll want to do better for you because you’re more than just a “boss.”
• Be their leader, first, and their friend second. You’re their leader and that means that you have to make difficult decisions from time to time. These decisions cannot be affected by personal relationships.
“To lead people, walk behind them.” – Lao Tzu
5. Make the hard call. There are times when you have to bite the bullet and make some unpleasant decisions. Firing, demoting, and holding people accountable for their actions can be very hard at times. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to handle these matters.
“Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm.” – Publilius Syrus
Regardless of where your leadership role takes you, believe that you can be a strong leader. Remember that in order to lead others, you must be disciplined yourself. After all, your actions will speak louder than anything you can say. In order to gain the respect of others, strive to lead by example in every area of your life.
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams
When you follow these simple guidelines, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a strong leader!
