You can’t be a leader unless you can be authentic and genuine. Sustainable leadership is not an act (though we have seen many who have tried). Sincerity is a powerful thing and comes from knowing who you are and what you desire to represent. It is something that people witness through your passionate beliefs and concern for others.
The most powerful leaders make you feel as if they are speaking directly to you.
A leader must establish an identity that is true; one that others can relate to and be comfortable with – that makes a leader easier to interpret and understand. This is a problem today as most people find it difficult to trust leaders because they don’t know if they are being genuine. In fact, many would say that leaders are not taking the initiative to be understood so as to be more effective in connecting with others. Leaders must stop being someone they are not. Employees respond better to those they can trust, who are sincere and transparent (enough) within the work environment.
4. Resolve Difficult Situations
The best leaders know how to create a harmonious environment in the most difficult of times. They rally the team to solve problems together. They promote collaboration and simplify root problems into manageable solutions. Leaders turn difficult situations into “engaging learning moments.” They also use times of duress to discover new leaders: those who can manage pressure and who have the mental toughness to handle the requirements of strong leadership.
You know that you are a good leader when you can solve problems with a quick look at the situation at hand. Effective leaders can detect the experienced ones in the room and those who are not afraid to make decisions and embrace risk. They also know where the egos and hidden agendas reside.
5. Achieve Results in Different Ways
Leaders are effective at identifying opportunities that others don’t see. They are strategic and push the envelope to discover results that can be more sustainable. Leaders are fearless when embarking upon new things and will challenge the status quo – responsibly.
How many times did you believe you had a better way of accomplishing corporate goals? Did you remain quiet or did you design a strategy that you could confidently “sell” to your team or department?
Leaders always think ahead and can calculate what lies around the corner. They make things happen through their creativity to achieve results.
6. Cast a Clear Vision
The key to defining an overarching goal is to make it: 1) simple to understand, 2) relevant for the needs of your customers, and 3) memorable for people to repeat and execute. Casting a vision is being able to anticipate crisis and/or change (which very few can do). But to cast a vision clearly requires a high level of expertise and intelligence about your business, industry and marketplace climate.
