It’s done! You’ve been promoted to coordinator and have the mission to apply your leadership skills to a team – or sector. This is all you’ve ever dreamt of in order to show your talent, but the remaining question is: Have you got leadership skills? Leadership is natural for some people, while for others it may be learned. Should you be a little puzzled about how to start, we’ve summarized in three keywords what it means to be a leader.
1. Confidence
Have in mind that leadership is a set of behaviors which are absorbed and improved through daily tests of patience, respect to others, open mindedness and empathy. Every leader must have confidence in what they say, and the very same confidence to change opinion when facing a situation in which such change is needed.
Being resilient doesn’t mean being unstable: opinions are well-thought-out, decisions are well evaluated and risks are calculated. Keeping the word also helps convey confidence: Promises go from raises to better work conditions. A leader is consistent with what they say and sometimes just change the path to keep the confidence of close employees.
When talking about confidence, it is important to remember that one of the acid tests to check whether a person has leadership skills is to evaluate their capacity to convey credibility to the group. For saying some miserable words during a meeting or forcing something down on throat without any dialogue is enough to shake the team’s friendliness and confidence in you. What is the solution? To learn what is most cherished by each team member and adapt your behavior in order to provide it.
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2. Collaboration
This is a building block for teamwork. After all, what is a team without the commitment of a leader? People gathered together with no purpose. When leading a team, it is necessary to show that you care and work for its success, for a single goal.
Through collaboration, it is possible not only to give the team a voice but also make it have a clear vision of the organization. Imposing rigid rules or procedures may inhibit the motivation among employees and hinder their creativity. Go with the flow by knowing how to deal with external pressures and not abusing your authority.
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3. Responsibility
The term “leader” means to conduct, to guide. On principle, leaders must know what they are doing. They must prepare to take responsibilities, sometimes even for events whose fault was not theirs. Therefore, don’t be a leader that always blames employees for the team’s problems. Be honest with yourself and those working with you, and assume the fault for what is your own mistake.
However, when responsibility is the agenda, it’s important to make clear that it is not only about the leader but about the whole team. Sharing responsibilities is a good way to create efficient dynamics in the group, build confidence, improve the work organization and solve conflicts.
If everyone feels as being part of the process, everyone will be working on its success. Leaders also convey positive energy and encourage productive attitudes, which engage the team responsibly – because they all know that they will be later evaluated and rewarded upon good results.
>> Recommended reading: Shared Leadership: Understanding the benefits of this organizational model and how it works
How to apply leadership skills with technology?
Should you aim to gain the respect of a dedicated team, you must be transparent with it. One of the best strategies for applying leadership skills is to implement collaborative tools in the work environment – in which decisions are registered and priorities are clear.
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