4 tips to lift your leadership

By Elizabeth McCormick

Good leaders are hard to find, and great leaders are even more elusive. Whether there’s a team reporting to you or not, you have the ability to lift your level of respect with your peers while also improving your capacity for greater leadership opportunities.

To enhance your abilities as a leader, begin with a mindset of being open to new ways of thinking and interacting with your peers, your team and your organization. To lift your leadership, start with this list.

1. Make tough decisions

Your team may not like every decision you make, but don’t let that scare you into not making the right decisions, or worse, no decisions at all. Do your research and get feedback from your team. If you are able, explain your decisions diplomatically and address the concerns.

2. Admit when you’re wrong

Everyone makes mistakes, and leaders are no different. When you make a mistake, be upfront with your team. Your honesty and vulnerability will help open a pathway to better trust and communication. When you show your willingness to trust them with your mistakes, they will feel more valued as a team member and work with you to help correct mistakes.

3. Show appreciation

When your team members do good work, let them know you noticed. Write a handwritten thank-you note, give them a special gift card and take time to recognize them publicly. Appreciation goes a long way, and as you incorporate a culture of gratitude, your staff will reciprocate that appreciation through loyalty and quality work.

4. Let your team see you learn

Leaders are learners. Let your team observe you reading a book or a trade publication in the break room, and encourage them to do the same. You could also start an optional book club focused on self-improvement and leadership books where you can discuss how those books have made an impact on you, and how they helped change the way you lead.

Elizabeth McCormick is a speaker and author who specializes in leadership. For more information, visit yourinspirationalspeaker.com.

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