What Great Leaders Do to Be Successful

What makes a great leader?

What do they do that’s different?

What is there about them that allows them to succeed at the highest levels?

While every leader is different, there are specific traits that great leaders tend to share. And they aren’t things people have to be lucky enough to be born with, but skills that anyone can learn and develop and implement. Here are some of the most important leadership principles to work on:

Great leaders lead by example. Truly successful leaders understand that those they lead are watching them and often looking to emulate their behavior. What they see is the model they’ll follow, so it’s important to lead by example. Set the tone for what you want to see in your team and where the organization needs to go.

Great leaders embody self-confidence. When you’re comfortable with yourself—and you know whether you are or aren’t—you’re able to do the things you need to do with confidence and conviction. People work hardest for leaders they respect, and that respect begins with your self-confidence.

Great leaders inspire self-confidence in others. Your confidence as a leader will inspire others to be confident in themselves and in the team.

Great leaders are not self-serving. The best leaders are not focused on what’s in it for them; they’re all about serving others. They are invested in making the lives of people around them better. The most successful leaders work to serve their people and make their team and their organization more successful.

Great leaders know how to take advice. No one gets to the top alone, and successful leaders understand the importance of coaching and mentoring. They’re never shy about asking for help and questioning what they know. For themselves and their organization, they make sure any support that’s needed is in place.

Great leaders possess the fortitude to move ahead, even in tough times. The best are not only bold about taking risks, they’re also fearless about overcoming obstacles. They realize that success requires them to keep things moving forward even through challenges, because that’s part of their responsibility as a leader. Once they know where they need to go, they rise to the occasion and do whatever it takes to get there.

Great leaders lead by following. Too many leaders think they should know it all, do it all, and always be in charge. But that isn’t what real leadership looks like, because to be a good leader, you have to first be a good follower. Great leaders not only accept this fact but embrace it.

Think of two leaders you admire and respect. Go through eachof these traits listed above and think about how they carry it out so you can use them as a model of success in your own leadership.

Lead from within: At every stage of your career, it’s important to focus on developing the traits that will help you achieve and maintain a high level of successful leadership.

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The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.

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Additional Reading you might enjoy:

• 12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
• A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
• How to Succeed as A New Leader
• 12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
• 4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
• The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
• The Deception Trap of Leadership

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