Susmita Sarma September 24, 2020 Leadership comes in different styles. It depends a lot on the nature of the person. For example, if you’re introverted, your leadership style would be vastly different from an extroverted person. It will again be different in different generations and geographical areas (considering its culture.) Like, say, the typical leadership style in the U.S.A. would vary significantly from that in India. But, irrespective of where you come from or your personality, there are certain basic things that every leader should know.
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6 Basic Things Every Leader Should Know Today
1. Know how vital spacing and body language is.
Not all leaders really want to be seated in the most potent front seat. The majority of leaders sit at the back of the room or near the doors while interacting or dialoguing with employees. They are always in a “here to observe things” mode. And they suddenly disappear for long periods to take calls and answer emails. Whereas, employees look to leadership to provide direction and continuity in any meeting or conference.
As a leader, you should know that how and where you sit affects our interactions. Keep the following 2 things in mind:
How to choose the right seat in every meeting (and avoid the wrong ones!) For example, if you attend a conference to watch someone else’s presentation, you can choose a seat in the middle of the seat arrangement.
Why your seat type matters? It would help if you were mindful of the psychological layout of each room you enter because it affects your behavior.
2. Take a real break.
As a leader, you must embrace the practice of rest. Every week, you need to move away from work completely to obtain the necessary insight and clarification to do your job well. Now is the best opportunity to get rid of the damaging myth that your availability 24/7 increases productivity.
But how do you take real breaks?
A real break means doing something different from daily life: turning off the screens, interacting with loved ones, and finding genuine joy in the present moment.
Let your mind take a real break with exercise, meditation, yoga, or innovative activities that really improve their cognitive abilities. Avoid binge eating or social media addiction, and thus protect your time. Plan for joy, interact and do things that you enjoy.
3. Embrace change.
Leadership has been defined as the ability to hide your panic from others.
For the company and its employees to succeed, leaders must plan for and respond to change. They should welcome change because it brings the potential for growth and innovation.
A crisis, as they claim, pulls the best out of good leaders. For example- there are many invaluable leadership lessons taught by Covid-19. And needless to say, the challenges of leaders and their teams today are much different today. We have seen many leaders stand up and take up the task as their duty, despite the obstacles.
4. Be mindful of your goals.
Creating and setting leadership goals ensures that both leaders and their teams thrive. It keeps them focused on improving their skills, abilities, and overall effectiveness. For leadership goals to be successful, they need to follow the requirements set by S.M.A.R.T. Goals. The word SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely.
Over time, SMART goal setting has enabled organizations of all sizes to set and meet their expectations. The main idea is: Be mindful of your goals. Vague goals like “I want to…” doesn’t help.
5. Learn to reward your employees.
Finding ways to inspire your workers is a significant part of leadership, and it can be a daunting job because multiple factors drive employees. It takes time for the leaders to find out what each employee wants.
Some employees want recognition. Some want cash. Many want to be challenged. So many want to be cultivated. You can find greater success in moving your team towards the objective if you observe your employees and introduce a rewards and recognition program that works for your team.
6. Know when to delegate.
Yes, you are the captain of the team. Yes, your team follows you. But you don’t have to do all or personally control everything. An essential part of leadership is delegating. You’ve recruited fantastic people, delegate specific tasks to them. Free yourself to focus on higher-value activities and use your time in strategic thinking for high-end productivity.
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