Do you want to be a good leader? Take the next 12 steps.

According to one Capgemini executive, the attributes that most great leaders embody stay consistent regardless of sector, business, or historical period.

After more than 30 years in business, I can guarantee one thing: rapid change. The business world is like an ocean current: it is constantly in motion as industries develop and technology evolves at a rapid pace. The most effective leaders accept change and adjust quickly.

Change is constant, but I believe there are core leadership building blocks that survive the test of time. The attributes that most effective leaders exhibit stay consistent regardless of industry, company, or time period.

I provide my perspective on leadership in the hopes that readers would benefit from it. Having said that, I embrace new perspectives as I continue to grow as a leader. I hope you find this post informative and relevant, whether you are a younger, aspiring leader full of passion and curiosity or an experienced leader looking to develop your abilities and approaches.

The following are the 12 keys to becoming an excellent leader:

Create your own luck.

Aspiring leaders figure out how to be persistent without becoming annoying. It's totally OK to stay in your lane and do your current job effectively while simultaneously pushing the envelope to take on new chances in fields that interest you. If you want something, you should ask for it and then go get it. Don't always wait for your career to come to you. Make it a reality.

Follow your heart.

It's difficult enough to be a good leader, but how can you encourage and drive teams around you if you're not passionate about the subject you're leading? Follow your passion(s), with the first step being to figure out what they are. If you are unsure, take measures to determine it by gaining fresh experiences in other areas. Perhaps it's a certain sector, a particular field of technology, or a desire to see the world. Also, keep in mind that your passion(s) may change over time.

Improve your public speaking skills.

It is difficult to lead huge teams efficiently if you lack the courage to speak in front of groups. There are ways to improve your public speaking skills if you know where to search. Whether it's a "all-hands call" presentation or one to a client or project team, it's critical to create and seize opportunities to speak and share experiences in front of large groups.

Make a positive impact.

My grandma and father both encouraged me to always keep a good attitude and a glass-half-full attitude. Negativity is a slippery slope in the economic world. Effective leaders change their thinking in order to instil positivity in people around them. Something that was once considered a "issue" or "trouble" can now be viewed as an opportunity to progress. A cheerful attitude spreads and makes work more fun for you and your staff.

Be modest.

Continuing from the last point about being a good influence, the most effective leaders recognise the value of humility. You may be the smartest person in the room, but others should reach that conclusion for themselves by allowing the work, results, and performance to speak for themselves, rather than hearing you brag about how brilliant you are. Leaders with large egos and self-centered actions eventually reach a breaking point.

You should be well-rounded.

While becoming an expert in anything is crucial, good leaders are also well-rounded and avoid showing a "tragic fault" that would impede their professional growth. Effective leaders excel at most or all aspects of leadership, including people management, the ability to sell and deliver or produce results, interpersonal skills, relationship-building abilities, and more. You don't have to be the greatest at everything to be a good leader. However, in my opinion, you must be well-rounded.

Put interpersonal skills first.

Relationships are essential. I've always tried to get along with everyone on the team for the various projects I've worked on during my career. That begins with being real, investing time in these connections, appreciating all points of view, and being careful of how you treat others. In many circumstances, how you say something is more important than what you say. Effective leaders, regardless of their role or degree of expertise, have the interpersonal abilities to communicate effectively with everyone at any moment.

Stick to deadlines.

I strongly believe in work-life balance. However, there are times in one's profession when meeting deadlines is more crucial than working a "8 to 5" schedule. Effective leaders find a way to strike a balance while simultaneously meeting crucial deadlines. Being devoted to deadlines as well as effort generates credibility and demonstrates to stakeholders that you are dependable and trustworthy, which typically leads to greater responsibilities.

Take care of yourself.

While more effort may be required in some cases, nothing is more vital than looking after your own emotional, physical, and spiritual health and well-being. Each person will take a different approach, but striking this balance between mind, body, and spirit will maintain effective leaders sharp, focused, and able to sustain their good impact over time.

Continue reskilling

Even the most senior leaders never stop learning, whether through training, reading, or side initiatives. The journey toward growth and development is never-ending, and good leaders will always be reskilling and looking for opportunities to improve. If you are not a continual learner, you will eventually be left behind, especially now, in 2022, when technology is evolving faster than most humans are capable of adjusting.

Make yourself self-sufficient.

Employees typically require supervision when executing day-to-day duties in the early stages of their career journey, which is perfectly normal for a reasonable period of time. However, one of your early career objectives should be to establish your ability to perform a function with little supervision. Those with bosses who believe in their ability as a "independent, value-added worker" will be among the first to be promoted. If you're self-sufficient, the next logical step is to lead and guide others.

Learn to be an expert in something.

Rotational assignments are ideal for those who are unsure of their career passion and direction. However, becoming a subject matter expert can be beneficial at some point. Working in the data, analytics, and AI arena, for example, may expose you to data transformation, business intelligence, data science, machine learning, or advanced AI technologies. However, as you progress toward becoming a manager and leader, focusing in one or more of these areas will become increasingly vital.


Source: Fast Company