Each of us may have the full potential to become a leader…and that includes you. But what does it actually take to be ready for leadership? That question has several possible responses, which you may wish to explore further with your employer.
Over the years that I’ve owned my coaching business, I’ve had several clients who either were leaders or aspired to become leaders in their organization or community. First and foremost, leaders have effective communication.
A good starting place is asking yourself these 10 questions:
- How well do you exude confidence?
- Do you communicate from head-to-toe by using your whole body?
- What kind of listener are you?
- Do others feel listened to, when they speak to you?
- How often do you seek input from others?
- Do you use eye-connection when speaking?
- How do you adjust your communication style based on the needs of the other person?
- Are you effective when speaking on the telephone?
- When you communicate feedback, are you aware of your intonation, rate, volume, and vocabulary?
- Have you assessed your written style of communication?
Recently, I began working with a client who proudly stated he believed he was extremely organized, efficient, and productive. Based on those work qualities, my client thought he was indeed leadership-ready. However, he hadn’t stopped to consider the 10 questions I presented in this blog. While being organized, efficient, and productive are clearly beneficial traits to possess, it’s simply not equivalent to being a leader. The good news is that with the right level of motivation and being receptive to communication coaching, each of us can become leadership-ready and that includes you.
Another area that I focus on when working with my clients is personal branding. This important part of leadership is often overlooked. I think it starts with knowing your values, your passions and your purpose. Once you have defined these important traits along with assessing your image, your communication style and even your professional etiquette skills, you are on your way to developing an impactful leadership style.
If you’d like to discuss your situation with me, I’d welcome hearing from you. Please feel free to send me an email at [email protected] and we can schedule a phone call at your convenience. It’s clearly your first step toward becoming leadership-ready.
Hope to hear from you soon. Have a great week!