When it comes to leadership, it seems that some people have it and some people don’t. A poor leader will experience others talking behind his or her back, bad attitudes and defiance among employees and often significant employee turnover.
An effective leader can engage others, rally the troops and build a following around his or her objectives for the business. What type of leaders do employees follow? Promotional Consultant Today shares these insights from Marcel Schwantes, principal and founder of Leadership From the Core.
People will follow leaders who:
1. … are not afraid to be wrong. Schwantes states that leaders attract a following when they take a stand on an issue—not because they are trying to force their opinions on others but because they aren’t afraid of being wrong. An effective leader is willing to hear other opinions rather than bullying his own. Leaders with loyal followers are secure enough to back down graciously when being proven wrong.
2. … listen way more than they speak. People are attracted to leaders who engage them in dialog, and listen to what they have to say. Confident leaders are unassuming and know what they think; they want to know what others think. These leaders will ask questions, learn what you know on the subject matter and be willing to listen and learn.
3. … shine the spotlight on others. Effective leaders don’t require attention, recognition or glory to seek validation. They have the confidence to step back and celebrate the achievements of other individuals and of the team.
4. … are not afraid to ask for help. Confident leaders are secure enough to admit weaknesses and when they need help. By asking for help that others may see as a weakness, a truly confident leader knows that when he gets help, he pays that other person a big compliment.
5. … don’t put down other people. Effective leaders are supportive of individuals and complimentary to the team. They stay away from negative comments and gossip about others, and hold a higher level of standards. The effective leader’s primary focus is on the betterment of the customer, the team and the organization.
Ready for more leadership tips? Read PCT tomorrow for Part 2 of this series.
Source: Marcel Schwantes is principal and founder of Leadership From the Core, a leading provider of servant-leadership training and coaching designed to create healthy, engaged and profitable work cultures. He is an entrepreneur, an executive coach, a speaker, a columnist and a servant-leadership evangelist working on publishing his first book this year.
