Leadership, despite what everyone thinks, is situational. Often people assume that only certain people have the necessary skills to be leaders, but that is a myth. A leader is someone who has a vision of the opportunity or challenge and the courage to take action based on that. Someone who is a leader in one situation may be a follower in another because the most important tip to become a better leader is to recognize your own skills and understand when you should take charge and when you should be a follower. Here are a few tips to help prepare you to be a better leader:
- Know your skills- In order to be a good leader, take stock of your strengths and continue to learn everything you can. Know your leadership style, improve on your weaknesses, and periodically update your knowledge to make sure that you are up to date on new technology, processes, etc.
- Be willing to let someone else lead- Every person has individual talents and skills that they bring to a team, and the leader should be the best suited for the challenge or task that needs to be completed. The leader should always be changing to the person who can best lead the group during that time.
- Pay attention to opportunities to take action- Always be aware of obstacles, tasks, or challenges that may arise during a project and be willing to step up and take charge. A good leader does not wait to be appointed; a good leader finds an opportunity and takes action.
- It is not about directing others, but about getting something of value done- A good leader does not order people around for the sake of doing it. The purpose of a leader is that they have skills and a deep understanding of the task that allows them to direct others to accomplish the task. A leader should always be thinking about how can the team move forward and use their skills to successfully complete their work.
