3 Things Every Leader Should Be Able to Do
Craig Ross
Guest Author
Do you have what it takes to be a leader? Good leaders are typically identified for their ability to deliver results. While this is certainly one indicator of a CEO showing good leadership, the most effective leaders also possess a number of other capabilities necessary to deliver improved performance.
1.Inspire a Change of Focus
An aligned, coordinated team with a common focus will always outperform a group of unallied individuals. Great leaders have the essential skill of sustaining a forward focus. They do this by seeking solutions and identifying what can be learned from the past while looking at how to improve in the future.
2.Redirect People’s Thinking with Forward Focus Questions
Effective leaders are clued into this important fact: the right questions change behaviors. In order to do this, leaders ask questions that trigger the mind and activate new or different thinking. This means going beyond asking, “what can we do differently?” While this is definitely an important question to ask, taking it one step further and asking, “what can we do differently to ensure our clients are happy with our service?” can help incite a deeper and more focused conversation.
3.Motivate Others to Step Up, Speak Out and Lead
Good leaders not only consistently work to activate their own potential, but also strive to activate the potential in others. They are as interested in others’ success as they are in the company’s or their own success. Through asking meaningful questions, leaders can tap into the motivations of others and encourage participation.
Now it’s time to evaluate your own ability as it applies to these three areas. In which capabilities can you improve? And, what capabilities should we add to this list?
Image courtesy of Suriya Kankliang at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
