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Make a list of the 5 leaders you most admire. They can be from business, social media, politics, technology, the sciences, any field. Now ask yourself why you admire them. The chances are high that your admiration is based on more than their accomplishments, impressive as those\u00a0may be. I\u2019ll bet that everyone on your list reaches you on an\u00a0emotional<\/i><\/b>\u00a0level.<\/p>\n
The ability to reach people in a way that transcends the intellectual and rational is the mark of a great leader. They all have it. They inspire us. It\u2019s a simple as that. And when we\u2019re inspired we tap into our best selves and deliver amazing work.<\/p>\n
So, can this ability to touch and inspire people be learned? No and yes. The truth is that not everyone can lead, and there is no substitute for natural talent. Honestly, I\u2019m more convinced of this now \u2013 I\u2019m in reality about the world of work and employee engagement. But for those who fall somewhat short of being a natural born star (which is pretty much MANY of us), leadership skills can be acquired, honed and perfected.<\/p>\n
Emotional intelligence<\/b>. Great leaders understand empathy, and have the ability to read people\u2019s (sometimes unconscious, often unstated) needs and desires. This allows them to speak to these needs and, when at all possible, to fulfil them. When people feel they are understood and empathised something, they respond PERIOD and a bond is formed.<\/p>\n
<\/b>Continuous learning.<\/b>\u00a0Show me a know-it-all and I\u2019ll show you someone who doesn\u2019t have a clue about being human. Curiosity and an insatiable desire to always do better is the mark of a great leader. They are rarely satisfied with the status quo, and welcome new knowledge and fresh (even if challenging) input. It\u2019s all about investing in yourself.<\/p>\n
<\/b>Contextualise.<\/b>\u00a0<\/b>Great leaders respond to each challenge with a fresh eye. They know that what worked in one situation may be useless in another. Before you act, make sure you understand the specifics of the situation and tailor your actions accordingly.<\/p>\n
<\/b>Let Go.<\/b>\u00a0<\/b>Too many people think leadership\u00a0is about control.\u00a0In fact, great leaders inspire and then get out of the way.<\/b>\u00a0They know that talented people don\u2019t need or want hovering managers. Leadership is about influence, guidance, and support, not control. Look for ways to do your job and then get out of the way so that people can do theirs.<\/p>\n
<\/b>Honesty. \u00a0<\/b>Not a week goes by that we don\u2019t hear about a so-called leader losing credibility because he or she was dishonest. Often this is because of pressure to try and \u201cmeasure up\u201d and it\u2019s not coming from a place of being real \u2013 often this relates to fear of not being accepted for your true self. We live in age of extraordinary transparency, which is reason enough to always be true to your core \u2013 your mission will be revealed, your motivations will show by your behaviours. But it goes way beyond this. It\u2019s an issue that sets an example and elevates an organisation. If you have a reputation for honesty, it will be a lot easier to deliver bad news and face tough challenges.<\/p>\n
Are you inspiring people from your heart?\u00a0<\/b>Kindness and respect<\/b>. Nice leaders (people) don\u2019t finish last. They finish first again and again. Ignorance and arrogance are leadership killers. They\u2019re also a mark of insecurity. Treating everyone with a basic level respect is an absolute must trait\u00a0of leadership. And kindness is the gift that keeps on giving back. Of course, there will be people who prove they don\u2019t deserve respect and they must be dealt with. But that job will be made much easier, and will have far less impact on your organisation, if you have a reputation for kindness, honesty and respect.<\/p>\n
<\/b>Collaboration.<\/b>\u00a0<\/b>People\u2019s jobs and careers are integral to their lives. The more your organisation can make them a partner, the more they will deliver amazing results. This means, to the greatest extent possible, communicating your organisation\u2019s strategies, goals and challenges. This builds buy-in, and again is a mark of respect. People won\u2019t be blindsided (which is a workplace culture killer) by setbacks if they\u2019re in the loop.<\/p>\n
P<\/b>artner with your people.<\/b>\u00a0As I said above, people\u2019s careers are a big part of their lives. That seems like a no-brainer, but leaders should have it front and center at all times. Find out what your employees\u2019 career goals are and then do everything you can to help them reach them. Even if it means they will eventually leave your organisation. You will gain happy, productive employees who will work with passion and commitment, and tout your company far and wide. This is an opportunity to brand your greatness.<\/p>\n
Leadership is both an art and a science. These tools are guidelines, not rigid rules. Everyone has to develop his or her own individual leadership style. Make these tools a part of your arsenal and use them well as you strive to reach people on an emotional level. Be Human. It Matters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Make a list of the 5 leaders you most admire. They can be from business, social media, politics, technology, the sciences, any field. Now ask yourself why you admire them. The chances are high that your admiration is based on more than their accomplishments, impressive as those\u00a0may be. I\u2019ll bet that everyone on your list […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dafigo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/261"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dafigo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dafigo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dafigo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dafigo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=261"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.dafigo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/261\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3179,"href":"https:\/\/www.dafigo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/261\/revisions\/3179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dafigo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=261"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dafigo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=261"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dafigo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=261"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}