How to make your own leadership strategies – growth

Your leadership style needs to align with your own strengths and personality. You need to develop self-awareness to figure out your innate strengths and work on your weaknesses. The process of finding your own style and building effective leadership strategies can differ from person to person. However, you can get help by looking for the best strategic leadership courses and certifications to gain technical knowledge. Let’s discuss a good approach to developing your own strategy to be an inspiring leader.

1. Why is imitation the enemy in leadership?

All of us have preconceived ideas of what a good leader is like. However, the truth is that no two leaders are alike (at least the good ones). The truth is once you enter the ring of leadership, you need to flex your leadership muscles in many different ways depending on the situation as well as the context. If you catch yourself starting to imitate a leader that you admire, pause and observe your reasoning for doing so. Are you genuinely emulating effective qualities that work in a particular context or copying the mannerisms of someone you admire? If you find yourself imitating, take note and work on developing your own style. If you wish to gain technical skills, look for leadership & management online courses.

2. Why do you need to understand your strengths and weaknesses?

Take a moment to think about the leadership traits that come naturally to you. Also, find out about where you struggle. Remember that the habits that make you an individual translate into leadership qualities. You need to dig deep into your individual style and find which qualities to leverage to develop your leadership strategy. This is where self-awareness comes in handy. You can also get some help by following the CMI Level 4 Diploma in Management and Leadership Course.

3. Why do you need to practice discipline to become a good leader?

Discipline is one of the hallmarks of a great leader. You need to develop discipline within your professional and personal lives to become an effective leader. We all have certain unconscious habits and brain patterns that make it hard to stick to discipline. Understand your habits and unlearn those. You can demonstrate discipline at your place of work by meeting deadlines consistently, keeping appointments, and even ending meetings on time. Work on your weak points. For example, if you are disorganised, make it a point to learn techniques to change that pattern. You could learn a lot of useful techniques by following a course such as the Principles of Management and Leadership (Level 3) – CMI. Remember that your discipline will inspire your team.

4. How taking on more projects can help you develop leadership skills?

Taking on more responsibility will allow you to develop your leadership qualities. However, remember not to take on more work than you practically can handle. When you take on different types of projects, you will learn to handle different challenges with authority. Practice is the way to perfection. Step out of your comfort zone, and take on job roles outside your job description. This way you will build up the necessary comprehension to develop insights into the nature of the business and the entire organisation.  Anyone ready to step outside their job description and take on more responsibilities has leadership potential. It is all about initiative.

5. Why does a good leader need to learn to follow?

Times have changed, and today a leader is not an authority figure. True, they do possess the authority of more experience, initiative, and out-of-the-box thinking, but a true leader has no qualms about yielding control when appropriate. A good leader would not feel threatened when a team member disagrees or questions. Instead, a leader creates a culture where everyone feels comfortable putting forth their ideas. It is always good to keep an open mind and offer merit where due. It is a delicate balancing act, and it won’t be easy. However, if you learn to truly value yourself and extend the same respect to others, they will not hesitate to step up to the plate.

6. Why do you need to develop situational awareness to become a good leader?

A good leader has the capacity to see the bigger picture and anticipate issues before they manifest. This skill is especially useful if you have to handle complex projects. Hence, if you wish to develop a good leadership strategy, improve your ability to detect problems, and come up with viable solutions. This particular strategy is harder to execute in a remote setting. However, having a good plan, communicating well, and paying attention to detail will get you far. The secret is to become more attuned to your projects and teams. A good leader will lead his team forward to the heights, having developed the right strategy.

7. Why do you need to become a discerning listener and resolve conflicts?

Active (discerning) listening is a commendable skill in a leader. An effective leader doesn’t always covet the spotlight. They listen to other perspectives and pick up on non-verbal cues. Learn to read facial expressions, body language, and what people are trying to say in between the lines. A manager from hell is definitely not a good leader. A fact of life is that not everyone will get along all the time. Personalities clash, and conflicts occur. At such times, the leader must step up to address the issues at hand and make everyone feel heard. You should work on your interpersonal skills to be able to speak to each member privately and find effective solutions. You should even be open to the idea of reassigning team members if all else fails.

8. Why does a good leader need to empower others?

The core and the most essential characteristic of a leader is the ability to make team members feel empowered. You can work on the art of delegating tasks appropriately. It is easy to fall into the trap of unwillingness to let go of control, especially if you are new to the leadership arena. Remember that your task is to guide and not be in control of even the most mundane task.

9. Why do you need to keep on learning to become a good leader?

A constant learner makes a good leader. A penchant for learning keeps your mind sharp and skills up to the mark. It helps you face new challenges with confidence. You can include actual learning platforms such as CMI level 4 in management and leadership in your learning journey as a leader.