12 Tips for Effective Leadership
December 30th, 2005 (Leadership)
Having and maintaining effective leadership over people in the workplace, whether they are your employees or just under your management, is the key to keeping people producing at their top levels. Below are 12 quick tips to help you produce and maintain effective leadership at the office:
1. Ask yourself on an ongoing basis: “Of everything happening, what is the most valuable use of my time, right now?”
2. Manage your work and your employees by objectives. Tell people exactly what you would like them to do, and then leave them by be getting out of their way.
3. There is what is called the “Philosophy of Continuous Improvement”. Practice this philosophy by getting a little better at everything you can, every single day, to the best of your abilities.
4. If you are in charge of a person that has great talents for which you are not currently using, then create a new position for that specific skill.
5. Take the time to truly listen to your people when they need or want to talk with you. You will increase their motivation by ten-fold.
6. Become a true believe that people, not your products or your bottom-line, are your most valuable asset. Only people can be made to appreciate in value.
7. If you would like to motivate others to peak performance then it is critical to continually make them feel how important and valuable they are you.
8. A true leader works hard to create a work environment in which people feel terrific about themselves and their duties.
9. Integrity is the most valuable quality of a leader. It is also the most respected, so always keep your word.
10. Take Albert Schweitzer’s advice (humanitarian & Nobel price winner) when he said “Men must be taught at the school of example, for they will learn at no other.”
11. Most everyone is afraid. The leader is the one who masters his or her fear and moves towards the object in spite of that fear.
12. Image is important when leading other people. Dress for success. In the game of people, they tend to judge you by the way you look on the outside.