Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about leadership. And lack of it. Both in my own life and in other places I’m affected. Here are 5 lessons that I’ve learned and am trying (or will be trying) to apply.
- Give direction. People under your authority need to know what to do next. They need a goal to reach. Give both to them.
- Encourage. It’s tempting to always want to fix things, look at the big picture and wonder why it’s not happening yet. Instead, give encouragement for little things you see happening along the way.
- Follow through. This one is a constant struggle for me but one I desperately need to discipline. Do what you say you’re going to do. Period.
- Respect others’ time. Do not waste other people’s time because of scheduling decisions or “things that came up last minute.” If you have to cancel something, give a good explanation as to why.
- Care. Ask people how they’re doing. Listen, really listen, to people. Don’t just listen because it’s what you have to do. Listen with empathy.
What are some lessons you’ve learned that you can add?
(not sure why this particular wordpress theme shows ordered lists as A, B, C, etc. instead of 1, 2, 3. I’ll have to look into that)
