In the post, several key qualities are identified that shape an effective, well-rounded leader for any organization; focusing on the importance of a leader’s positive attitude and growth mindset so they are always working toward their business’s goals and mission. Read more on: https://joel-landau.com/five-ways-effective-leadership-begins-from-within/

1. Five Ways
Effective
Leadership Begins
From Within
Joel Landau

2. Businesses large or small depend on strong, capable
leaders for success. But, as author Stephen M.R, Covey
wrote in an article on Investor’s Business Daily’s website,
there is a big difference between management and
leadership; “People don’t want to be managed. They
want to be led. You must know the difference if you want
to be an impactful leader.”
Covey goes on to say that managing people is an old
approach to leadership, and today, things are managed
and people are led. Covey is co-founder and CEO of the
Franklin Covey Trust Practice, a unit of FranklinCovey
(FC), a worldwide development leadership company. He
posits that to be an effective leader, you need to be
excited about your job, and you need to care about your
staff.

3. “But it’s not enough to care,” Covey writes, “people have
to know and feel that you care.” He believes that by
putting in the effort to make personal, one-on-one
connections with employees, leaders help their teams
build a sense of belonging and inclusion, which inspires
them to contribute their skills and talents. People want
to know both that they matter and that what they’re
doing matters, Covey adds: “They want to contribute
their talents, skills, and time to something significant
and meaningful. They want purpose.”
But are successful leaders simply born that way, or can
effective leadership skills be learned?

4. The best leaders
demonstrate the
following five
leadership
qualities in both
their personal and
professional lives

5. Personal Growth
and Emotional
Intelligence
Leaders are self-aware, with a focus on
personal growth and emotional intelligence.
These leaders are more versatile, resilient,
and comfortable accepting feedback. They
practice active listening, are open to change,
and communicate with others at every level
of their organization. To develop self-
awareness, strong leaders set and prioritize
goals, pay attention to the big picture, and
set boundaries between their personal and
professional lives, setting a good example
for their teams.

6. Developing Others
One of the most important characteristics strong leaders have in common is their
interest in developing others. They are more likely to recruit and develop a diverse
team with a variety of skills, and they coach and train their employees with empathy
and understanding. Also, these leaders are comfortable delegating tasks without
micromanaging their team.

7. Strategic Thinking
and Innovation
In addition to training staff, effective leaders
encourage strategic thinking and innovation.
Even at startups, where company goals and
strategies change frequently, they focus on the
future of the organization. They encourage
innovation and creativity through brainstorming,
while still setting practical and measurable,
specific, attainable goals.

8. Empathy for Their Team
The best leaders are ethical and care about their teams, as well as the
organization and the community. Leaders who are transparent and authentic
take the time to understand the difficulties their staff may experience, and offer
encouragement and support. At the same time, emotionally intelligent,
empathetic leaders celebrate employees’ successes.

9. Communication
Skills
Respected leaders communicate
effectively with individual employees,
different divisions within the organization,
and stakeholders outside the
organization. They explain corporate
goals, tasks, and objectives in clear,
precise language, and welcome
enthusiasm, confidence, and creativity
among their teams. Leaders who are the
most competent are optimistic and
believe in their organization’s mission.
They value employees’ contributions as
they strive to meet their goals.

10. Piggybacking on these qualities is a leader’s positive relational
energy, according to Harvard Business Review’s website.
Interviews with thousands of leaders and employees, in addition
to years of research, have shown that leaders who are
responsible for the most positive energy in an organization are
something the authors of the post called positive energizers.
These individuals’ secret is that by uplifting others through clear,
values-based leadership, they also boost themselves and their
organizations. Positive energizers demonstrate and cultivate
values like forgiveness, compassion, humility, trust, kindness,
integrity, honesty, and gratitude. As a result, the whole team and
organization flourish.

11. To become a positive energizer and not a “de-energizer” who
leaves employees feeling diminished and demoralized, the
authors of the post offer these tips...
Explain everything from organizational
goals to specific tasks and objectives in
concise language so that your team
understands your expectations and can
meet them; if they fail, you are at fault for
failing to express those expectations clearly.
Communicate goals and targets often so
that everyone in the organization knows
what you, and they, are working toward.
There are major differences when
communicating over the phone, via
email, and on social media, and it’s
critical to learn your strengths and
weaknesses for each mode of
communication.
Embrace enthusiasm, confidence,
inspiration, optimism, and communicate
these values to your team so that each
member recognizes everyone’s
contributions to achieving that goal
Adapt your communication style to
different cultural traditions when
necessary. Some cultures expect
explicit messages, while others tend to
rely on the context between the lines.
Remember that listening is just as
important to communicating as speaking.
Take the time to hear what others are
saying. Ask follow-up questions if you don’t
understand what they are trying to convey.

12. In addition to practicing the leadership tips listed above, the most
admired and productive leaders ask open-ended questions, so they
know exactly where their employees are coming from and can
respond quickly. In an article on Inc.com, Miriam Bowers-Aboot, who
teaches communication and conflict management at Mount
Carmel College of Nursing in Ohio, says that it’s important to
“understand where the other person is coming from to present a
compelling argument. If you don’t know what their priorities are, it’s
hard to convince them.”
In sum, the best leaders master the so-called soft skills – empathy,
self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation, etc. – to bring the
best out of themselves, and their teams. Perhaps the foremost skill,
however, is communication, as it minimizes confusion, establishes a
vision and ultimately galvanizes the entire operation.

13. Thank You