How would you describe a strong leader? In one leadership
study, qualities such as assertiveness, adaptability, intelligence and
conscientiousness were cited as the most important. "Research clearly
shows that transformational leaders - leaders who are positive, inspiring, and
who empower and develop followers - are better leaders," explains
psychologist and leadership expert Ronald E. Riggio. "They are more valued
by followers and have higher performing teams."
So what can you do embrace these characteristics and become
a better leader? Transformational leaders are usually described as
enthusiastic, passionate, genuine and energetic. These leaders are not just
concerned about helping the group achieve its goals; they also care about
helping each member of the group reach his or her full potential.
Consider some of the following tips for how to become a
better leader and think about ways that you can implement these strategies in
your daily life.
1. Learn More about Your Leadership Style
Understanding your current leadership style is essential.
What are your strengths? Which areas need some improvement? One way to start
assessing your skills is to take this leadership style quiz to get a general
idea of how you lead. Once you have completed the quiz, read about the major
characteristics of your dominant style. Are these qualities helping or
hindering your leadership? Once you've determine which areas need some work,
you can begin looking for ways to improve your leadership abilities.
2. Encourage Creativity
Intellectual stimulation is one of the hallmarks of
transformational leadership. Followers need to be encouraged to express their
creativity. Effective leaders should offer new challenges with ample support to
achieve these goals. One way to foster creativity is to offer challenges to group
members, making sure that the goals are within the grasp of their abilities.
The purpose of this type of exercise is to get people to stretch their limits,
but to not become discouraged by barriers to success.
3. Serve as a Role Model
Idealized influence is another of the four key components of
transformational leadership. Transformational leaders exemplify the behaviors
and characteristics that they encourage in their followers. They walk the walk
and talk the talk. As a result, group members admire these leaders and work to
emulate these behaviors. If you want to become a better leader, work on
modeling the qualities that you would like to see in your team members.
4. Be Passionate
Would you look to someone for guidance and leadership if
they did not truly care about the goals of the group? Of course not! Great
leaders are not just focused on getting group members to finish tasks; they
have a genuine passion and enthusiasm for the projects they work on. Start by
thinking of different ways that you can express your zeal. Let people know that
you care about their progress. When one person shares something with the rest
of the group, be sure to tell them how much you appreciate such contributions.
5. Listen and Communicate Effectively
Another important characteristic of transformational
leadership involves a focus on providing one-on-one communication with group
members. Good leaders should express sincere care and concern for the members
of their group both verbally and nonverbally. By keeping the lines of
communication open, these leaders can ensure that group members feel able to
make contributions and receive recognition for their achievements.
6. Have a Positive Attitude
Transformational leaders have an upbeat, optimistic attitude
that serves as a source of inspiration for followers. If leaders seem
discouraged or apathetic, members of the group are likely to also become
uninspired. Even when things look bleak and your followers start to feel
disheartened, try to stay positive. This does not mean viewing things through
rose-colored glasses. It simply means maintaining a sense of optimism and hope
in the face of challenges.
7. Encourage People to Make Contributions
Let the members of your team know that you welcome their
ideas. Leaders who encourage involvement from group members are often referred
to as democratic or participative leaders. While they retain the final say over
all decisions, they encourage team members to take an active role in coming up
with ideas and plans. Research has shown that using a democratic leadership
style leads to greater commitment, more creative problem-solving and improved
productivity.
8. Motivate Your Followers
Transformational leaders also provide inspirational
motivation to encourage their followers to get into action. Of course, being
inspirational isn't always easy. Fortunately, you don't need motivational
speeches to rouse your group members. Some ideas for leadership inspiration
include being genuinely passionate about ideas or goals, helping followers feel
included in the process and offering recognition, praise and rewards for
people's accomplishments.
9. Offer Rewards and Recognition
A good leader knows that offering effective recognition and
rewards is one of the best ways to help followers feel appreciated and happy.
It may also come as no surprise that happy people tend to perform better at
work. According to researchers Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer, leaders can
help group members feel happier by offering help, removing barriers to success
and rewarding strong efforts.
10. Keep Trying New Things
Who says leadership is a one-way relationship? As you work
toward honing your leadership skills, don't forget to look to your followers
for feedback an inspiration. Pay attention to the things that have been
effective in the past and always be on the lookout for new ways to inspire,
motivate and reward group members.
Sources: http://psychology.about.com/od/leadership/tp/become-a-better-leader.htm
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