Some say leaders are born, others argue leaders are made. Although this is one debate that can continue forever, one thing is for sure – some people tend to be better leaders than others.
And while it is great to be the captain of a football team, the CEO of a large multinational corporation, the head chef at a 5-star restaurant, or the president of a country, it does not mean that in order to become a leader you need have a rock star personality, or need to be put in a high-powered zone all the time. There are things that can be done every day, even at a basic level, to influence others and make a difference for the better.
In fact, you may be a leader, or at least possess the qualities of one, which you may not have been able to explore yet. So basically, your growth as a leader begins in this moment – right here, right now. Yes, while you’re still reading this.
You can become an everyday leader because let’s face it, leadership is a day-to-day matter. It’s all about doing your best and bringing out the best in others. Your parents, teachers, your gym instructor, your business associate, they’re all leaders in their own right.
Mentioned ahead are a few qualities that make good everyday leaders.
They Make Well-informed Decisions
Good leaders tend to be good decision-makers. This generally comes from years of experience and handling difficult situations. It is because of their decision-making abilities that people turn to them in the first place. They are solution seekers as opposed to trouble-makers. They seek solutions either by empowering their team/colleagues to reach tactical conclusion, or they arrive at one themselves.
They’re action-oriented and believe in making things happen, rather than waiting for things to happen. Facts and lessons from prior experience drive their decision-making. They understand that time is of the essence and do not waste too much of it over one issue. They make quick decisions and own up to them.
They Take Responsibility
Taking responsibility is second nature to leaders. They assume responsibility and take it seriously. They take accountability for their work, irrespective of whether they succeed or fail. Leadership is less about doing the work, and more about getting the work done successfully. For this, they delegate tasks among people who they think may produce the best results.
Apart from being a great way to lead, delegating tasks among others helps build confidence and experience in others. An everyday leader and his team grow together.
They Communicate Effectively
Whether it is communicating expectations, or giving instructions and feedback, everyday leaders effectively communicate their feelings. Effective communication does not just imply sending and receiving messages, but also ensuring that their coworker’s vision is translated into implementable tasks producing measurable results.
By communicating effectively, they also keep their team motivated and focused on the goal at hand. This also helps increase performance levels.
They Challenge Others to Think
It is important to keep your mind stimulated in order to learn new things and pick up new skills. If you don’t learn, you don’t grow, and with time your skills and knowledge become outdated and redundant.
Most successful leaders understand that if they want to succeed at any given task, it would require collective participation and effort. With this in mind, they encourage their colleagues to think and contribute to the task. By doing so, a good leader pushes his team out of their comfort zones so that they’re able to recognize their own hidden talents and the extent of their ability, thereby making them self-dependent.
They Know their Strengths and Limitations
While underestimating one’s abilities is wasting talent, overestimating them can also prove to be disastrous. But everyday leaders are self-aware, i.e. they know their strengths as well as their shortcomings. Being self-aware enables them to take up tasks that best match their aptitude and interests.
They Learn from Others
You may think that leaders do not need to learn from others, but others are supposed to learn from them. Well, you couldn’t be more wrong! Everyday leaders learn from others all the time when they interact with them.
They understand that doing so is important because many a time, it enables them to discover or identify a skill gap that may exist in them, which might have been overlooked. In all such interactions, they see opportunities to learn something new and grow.
Here’s a quick tip – Progressive people are drawn to genuine interactions, and will perceive you as a leader if you can facilitate such interactions with them often.
They Lead by Example
While leading by example is difficult, it is essential. Very few leaders are consistently able to practice what they preach. Putting your words into action is not easy as sometimes what we say can be too idealistic to be practiced and, therefore, may not always seem practical. Everyday leaders, however, are careful about this and know that the best way to deal with such circumstances is to promise less and deliver more.
With someone or the other always watching and judging every action you take, it is crucial that you walk the talk first and only then expect others to do the same for you. Doing so impacts not just your image, but also the mindsets of those who look up to you.
Conclusion
Everyday leaders are often the people with whom you interact on a daily basis and subconsciously get influenced by. They’re not always one of those typical charismatic role models and icons famous for what they did or are doing, but people who make a difference at the grassroots level, which is admirable. By identifying and acknowledging the leader in them, maybe someday you will bring out the leader hidden in you as well!
