6 practices to become a better leader

Introduction

6 practices to become a better leader

By using these six leadership practices (make decisions, think, make things happen, get people involved, listen and help people grow) you can become a better leader and lead a team with ease and confidence.

1. Make decisions

A leader makes decisions. So the person in the role needs to be confident and self-assured to make the right decisions in a timely manner and make them confidently. For example, if you are in a management position and there is a deadline looming for an important project, say a huge presentation for a client in one week, you can’t say, “I am not going to have time to finalise all the details of this project so I will ask someone else or leave it to my team member or an intern to do this for me.” You are the leader; therefore, you have to take control of the situation, put in your full effort to make sure that the project is completed on time and to the quality that is desired, and be ready to take responsibility for the outcome of your decisions.

2. Think

A leader thinks before taking a decision. For example, a leader should take time before deciding upon any course of action that involves other people in the team, as well as consider the importance of getting all the facts before making a decision. Before making a decision, they have to think and plan. The leader must have an objective for what they are trying to achieve by taking this decision. And then they should think of how to achieve it and what impact it will have on the company.

A leader should also understand why a decision is made and not just focus on what the right decision is. But they should also understand what the pros and cons of the decision that they make are.

3. Make things happen!

A leader should not wait to be made the captain of the team; a leader should go out and be that person. The leader must make things happen, identify the problem, and think of how to solve it. They should make sure that the whole team knows what they plan to do and then carry it out. The leader must think of how to improve the plan. The leader should be seen in their team, and the team should see that the leader is doing their job.

The leader should come up with some ideas and initiatives and should implement them. If there is a problem with their team, the leader should take action and not wait for others to take care of it.

4. Get people involved

It is very important for the leader to get their team members involved in some other areas of work. This helps them learn, develop their skills, and gives them the freedom to grow. This also helps develop some ideas and initiatives.

But the leader should be careful not to misuse this opportunity or get too involved, or the team might resent or feel that the leader has hijacked their ideas. On the other hand, it is also essential for the leader to create an atmosphere conducive to learning and development within their team.

5. Listen

A good leader always listens. They do not let their ego get in the way of listening to people. The leader should ask questions, listen carefully to what people have to say, and then respond to their points. It is very important for the leader to listen to people to understand how they perceive the problems, what they think of the solutions, what they need, and what the impacts of their decisions will be.

6. Help people grow

A leader should help people grow. It helps them to develop their skills, make them feel needed, improve their productivity, and make them feel valued. Leaders need to get out of their comfort zones and not sit behind their desks and watch their people grow. As leaders, we all are different. Each of us has our own skill set. We are also different in personality. So we need to build a culture where people can be free to bring out the best in themselves.

The key takeaways

You need more than just a skill set to become a good leader. No matter how many leadership books you read or how much training you receive, it won’t all “sink in” unless you’re committed to improving your leadership abilities. By using these six leadership practices, you can become a better leader and lead a team with ease and confidence. The leader must make things happen, identify the problem, and think of how to solve it. It is very important for the leader to get their team members involved in some other areas of work. This helps them learn, develop their skills, and gives them the freedom to grow. A good leader always listens and does not let their ego get in the way of listening to people.

6 practices to become a better leader

Introduction