“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams
Many people try to become leaders, but not all are successful at it. Some aspiring leaders tear down others to make themselves feel more accomplished. Others are not present or don’t take an active role in leading their team. Whatever the issue is, a team can’t truly grow to its potential without a bold leader.
So what makes a leader? How do you improve your leadership skills and inspire others with bold leadership? Check out these 5 ways to ignite bold leadership and start being the leader you want to be today.
1. Find Passion & Purpose
Americans rank purpose as their top priority in their jobs (even above promotions, income, job security and hours). A study of 11,000 employees across different industries found that the single strongest predictor of meaningfulness at work was the belief that the job had a positive impact on others.
Inspiring passion and purpose in others starts with believing something yourself. Leaders not only need to have integrity, but they must also lead by example. In order for your team to become passionate about the service you provide or the product you sell, you must first be inspired yourself! Then, you can encourage your team not just to look at what they did each day, but how they went about it, including the positive impact they could have in each interaction with clients and coworkers. This purposeful leadership brings a whole new level of satisfaction, both professionally and personally.
2. Understanding Your People
A business needs good people to grow. The people in your organization are the ones that work closely with your clients everyday. But it’s impossible to know how to motivate your employees until you know what drives them. Not everyone is motivated by the same things. One way to figure this out is to learn about your employees individually.
A DiSC profile can quickly help you learn more about your employees and how to interact with them. The DiSC profile is a non-judgmental tool that produces a detailed report about personality and behavior. This report will give tips on the best ways to interact with people of different personality styles.
Once you know your employees individually, you can cultivate a sense of appreciation for them, and people who feel appreciated and acknowledged are happier and will more likely stay motivated. Motivated employees feel proud of what they do and work harder because they are fully committed.
3. A Positive Work Environment
A healthy work environment is essential for company growth. The work environment starts with a passionate and driven leader, but it also can be shaped by other people within the environment. No one likes going to work in a stressful, toxic situation, but a positive work environment radiates a sense of health, which will increase productivity and motivation at the same time. To work toward this end, you could encourage your team to personalize their workspaces or to give each other rewards with a program like Bonusly. Bonusly gives your employees a monthly “allowance” that they can distribute each month to other employees. They are unable to keep the funds themselves, so instead they give out positive feedback or rewards to each other for helping out with a task, or for someone going above and beyond. This can be done not only at the employee level, but the leadership level as well.
4. Cultivate Positive Relationships
Studies say our relationships with other people are our best way to lower our levels of stress and improve our concentration at work. Each time we connect with another person, a hormone called oxytocin is released which helps in reducing anxiety and improves concentration and focus. That means that taking just a few minutes each day to genuinely thank someone for the work they’ve done will not only improve office morale, create a positive work environment, and let employees know they are appreciated, but it will also benefit you as a leader as you feel the reciprocated gratitude.
5. Continuous Training
Great leaders provide their teams with regular training and ways to improve their skills. This helps to maintain team spirit and define a career path where each person can grow. Besides creating opportunities for personal improvement for your team, training will position your team to deal professionally with any issues that customers may have. Without proper training, employees may feel inadequate or provide poor service.
Training is also important for the leadership of the company. Take a course or go to a conference and become inspired with new ideas! Be proactive and keep learning new things to bring to the table, not only to grow your business and your team, but to grow personally as well.
Be Bold
Are you ready to take your leadership to the next level by being bold and inspiring those around you? Whether you’re starting a new business or trying to improve your own, these five steps offer a great start toward being the leader you have always wanted to be.
If you need help with leadership, team motivation or any other business needs, feel free to reach out to us! Jennasis & Associates is a full-service digital marketing firm. Our designers, writers, developers, virtual assistants, and strategists help your brand create more impactful relationships with clients and consumers. We have the tools to help you in every aspect of your marketing strategy. Give us a call, shoot us an email, or take a closer look at our website. We can’t wait to talk with you!
Have any other bold leadership tips to add to the mix? What has helped you grow as a leader? Let us know in the comments!
