You're not just born a leader...
Leadership is one of these qualities that a lot of people feel like you were either born with, or without.
I completely disagree!
Yes, I agree that some people seem to be “born leaders”, they just happen to have that as a core, natural talent.
But I strongly believe leadership is something that you can learn, if you want to.
And that’s great news if you’re an ambitious professional and want to create a booming career that fulfills and pushes you to continually grow.
Even people who are “born leaders” can stand to learn how to improve their natural talent.
After all, the best athletes in the world start with natural talents but become legendary only when they nurture and hone their craft.
So the same goes for leadership, we are all born with different levels of talent but can improve our skills through learning and putting into practice what makes an effective leader.
I could come up with a list of 10 ways that you can start to be seen as a leader but let’s just start with the most impactful ways, and I’ve boiled it down to 3 that can really make a difference, even if you’re not currently in a leadership role.
3 WAYS TO START BEING SEEN AS A LEADER
1- Start Within
The best way to start being seen as a leader is to start seeing yourself as one.
That sounds simple but if you’ve not been in a leadership role before, it may require some serious thought work.
Here’s a great place to start:
START SEEING YOURSELF AS “FUTURE YOU”, AS AN AMAZING, INSPIRING LEADER.
That alone can start to bring awareness to how you need to think, feel and behave in order to become a leader.
It helps you identify the gaps in your thinking, knowledge and skills that are not currently a match for you being a leader.
This is an area where a coach can be invaluable in helping you see your blindspots and work through closing that gap to make being a leader a reality for you.
2- Be a Student and a Teacher (not a Dictator)
Today, the most inspiring, beloved and effective leaders are not the autocratic leaders of the past.
The best leaders today are ones that are the constant student, and ones that approach leadership with a teacher’s attitude. They coach and mentor their employees in a way that makes them WANT TO perform (not because they feel the HAVE TO).
And being the student, always, means that you listen to your team, and always learn and adjust to the changing conditions that are the reality of today’s workplace.
3- Be the Positive Problem-Solver
A strong leader does not avoid identifying issues and challenges, nor do they deal with them via complaining or arguing against the reality of some circumstances.
A strong leader bravely observes and identifies problems, and then with a positive, proactive and often creative approach and mindset seek to solve them.
This doesn’t mean they have all of the answers or walk around all day with an aura of constant positivity.
To be seen as a leader, you must sometimes boldly identify problems, seek possible solutions and engage others in the process with a productive, can do mindset.