Getting into deriving the dictionary meaning of whom a leader is or what leadership is all about, may sound so simple and could be defined in a generic one liner, driving a group of people at large in an organization.
BUT, is it really as simple and straight as it sounds? Well, we all know the answer to this, IT’S NOT!
To get this straight, let’s know for a fact that one does not become an effective leader on the basis of accolades, merits, titles or designations.
Rather, an effective leader is the one who evolves with their skills, time, experiences and the ability to always listen and learn throughout their journey of becoming a leader.
It is not merely about leading, directing or guiding people for what needs to be done or how it needs to be done or by when it needs to be done.
Effective leadership is much more than that – Climbing that ladder to live the organization’s vision successfully whilst keeping the employees motivated, strong, secured and together is a rather critical task to do. For the growth of any organization, effective leadership plays a vital role.
In the highly competitive business environment today, it is extremely important for any organization to have good leaders, who can add feathers to the success stories by effectively demonstrating their leadership skills.
As they say that, some people are born leaders, and leadership is one such skill that no notebook or degree can teach.
Well, this may be partially true, but there are certain elements that people always get in them, with time and experiences that they have.
No matter which domain or sector one is in or who they are looking to lead, we’d say that there are two very important skills that every leader must possess or every individual, in order to become a leader, must have –
LISTENing
We come across many great articles and blog posts on effective listening skills, what’s the importance of being a good listener and what are the advantages of being one.
Correct? Well, absolutely true!
Communication is one thing, but listening intently to what the other person is saying and not just “hearing” is what it takes to bridge the gap between what is being said and what actually is being understood.
In the context of leadership, no one can become a good leader without being a good listener. Deliberate efforts, a keen mind and attention is what it takes to understand the other person’s point of view.
LEARNing
The second important quality that any leader must possess is the ability to learn each day.
The art of learning is an ongoing process, and it is indeed a fact that the more we learn, the more we actually grow! As a leader, which so every domain one is in, building competency is the key to success.
The learning process could differ from individual to individual – some would prefer learning with their practical experience, some would hire a coach for themselves, or some would even learn from the experts in their domain.
No matter what the approach is, the ultimate target should be to develop competency and create a niche in the long run.
LEADing
Leading becomes so much easier if an individual has mastered the above-mentioned skills. One cannot become a leader without having good understanding (listening and learning).
And this is what it takes to get the employees to believe in their leaders and work towards their own development, along with keeping the company’s success also as their priority.
Bottom Line
A leader can only be successful, if his team members have full trust and faith in his leadership, knowing that they will be heard and understood, and their needs would be catered too.
Thanks for reading!!😊
