Welcome to my article What Is The Meaning of Leadership?
Do you know what it means?
Oh, I am sure each of us has our own ideas of what leadership may mean to us. But I was thinking more along the lines of are you able to put it into words and describe it to someone else?
It isn’t so easy is it because the meaning seems to be so interpretative.
A leader is sometimes referred to as a Boss or supervisor. Not all leaders, bosses or supervisors are the same as many of you may have already found out.
In this article, we will be covering Leadership so stick around and let’s clear up some things here.
Table of Contents
What Is Leadership?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary describes leadership as:
- the office or position of a leader
- the capacity to lead
- the act or an instance of leading
I tend to think there is a little more to it than that. What do you think?
Well, just because someone holds the office of a leader doesn’t mean they are in fact a leader. They need to be able to develop, unite and motivate the team in order to lead them. They need to set a clear direction and then assist the team in reaching the end goal.
Seriously though, if you can’t inspire the team to work together for a common goal the project will suffer.
I have worked for companies where management was just that. They micro-managed every little thing you did and the atmosphere was so toxic. You didn’t dare share any ideas for fear someone would steal your idea and get promoted because of it. Everybody stepped on everybody’s toes in an effort to get ahead.
On the other hand, I have also worked for some companies where the managers were true leaders and inspired the team to work together and it was a wonderful place to work. Everyone got along and encouraged each other, sharing ideas and strategies to help each other.
One person’s success was everyone’s success.
Benefits of developing strong leadership skills
Based on what I shared about the various places I have worked, it is easy to see there are many benefits to developing strong leadership skills.
Understanding your own strengths and weaknesses
In order to grow as a leader, you need to develop a clear understanding of what you do well and what you don’t do as well.
After all, how can you improve if you are unaware of your weaknesses?
When you assume a leadership position it won’t take long to realize what areas you are weak in because those areas will often be reflected by and maybe even multiplied by the team, meeting, project or other entity you are guiding.
A clear vision of the company’s direction
As you acquire more leadership responsibilities, it becomes imperative to fully understand company goals. Taking the time to learn about your company’s outlook can certainly help you ensure your goals are in line with those of the overall organization. A clear vision of where you are headed will aid in setting clearly defined goals for both yourself and your team.
Ability to motivate the team
An effective leader will take the time to discover how best to motivate the team. Motivating your team could be accomplished through recognition, rewards or incentives. By learning what motivates your team you may be able to increase their productivity and morale which will certainly help you reach your goals more quickly.
Unites the team
When you as the leader have a clear vision or goal you can more easily direct your team. When your team clearly understands the goals and their responsibilities and duties in achieving them, they will more easily work together to succeed.
Strong team retention
Once you learn how to effectively lead your team, they will achieve more which will give them a feeling of accomplishment. This will help boost their morale and they will enjoy being part of a successful team and there is a higher chance they will remain with you and the company.
Qualities of a strong leader
Effective leaders should strive to possess several qualities or soft skills. Being a great leader also means having strong technical skills as it relates to your team and industry. Here are a few skills you should consider developing as you focus on building your leadership abilities:
Flexible
As you lead, you will encounter a variety of people, processes and functions. These elements may change frequently. Knowing when you need to be flexible will help streamline processes and encourage members to grow and learn new skills. For example, you may notice a team member excelling at a new task. Instead of having them complete the rest of their original work, you may assign tasks that will help them expand on this new skill.
Empathetic
When you practice empathy it helps you better understand the people around you. This helps build trust and develop stronger relationships. It is important to be available to listen to both their challenges and accomplishments, offering guidance and suggestions whenever necessary. When you understand your team’s actions you can then develop more efficient processes as you work together towards your goals.
Decisive
Being a leader means you will need to make challenging decisions. These decisions need to be made as logically, thoughtfully and timely as possible. Learning from past experiences as well as the decisions of others before you will help you make better decisions. It is important that once you make a decision you stand by that decision and see it through to completion.
Strong communicator
Developing strong communication skills can greatly aid in reducing conflict and increasing productivity. It also helps build collaboration and cooperation within your team. Always maintain an open line of communication with each member of your team. Be sure to explain your vision as well as any changes that occur as you work toward it. Another crucial element of strong communication is active listening, really trying to understand the needs and ideas of the people around you. Be as clear as possible when communicating with your team so everyone understands what is needed and expected of them.
How to improve your leadership skills
Strong leaders are constantly looking to find ways to improve their leadership abilities. They understand that their team’s success is directly dependent on their ability to have a clear vision, communicate that vision and clearly enunciate that vision in such a way that each team member fully understands what is expected of them and in what time frame. You must also improve your ability to listen to your team’s concerns, problems and ideas that may affect the outcome of the project. Finding effective methods of motivating your team will help you all achieve your goals on or before schedule.
Mentorship
Finding a mentor can help guide you toward the leadership methods that are most effective for you. A good mentor will be able to work with you to help identify your most relevant traits and strengths and teach you how to apply them. They can also help you set goals to develop the areas in which you may be lacking some skills. Often you can find a mentor within your current company, through previous jobs or from your professional network.
Research
There are many resources available where you can learn more about effective leadership. There are countless books, online articles and podcasts that you can check out. You can also study other leaders you admire and strive to understand the skills they possess and learn how they apply them to achieve their goals.
Courses
There are plenty of leadership training courses available either online or in person. These can include one-on-one courses or group[ seminars. Taking a leadership course can help you learn effective leadership practices and teach you methods of applying them. You could even ask your company if they offer any leadership training.
Practice
The more you practice the new skills you are learning the better you will become. Practicing will help you continue to identify which techniques work best for you and what areas you need to learn more about and improve upon.
Ask for feedback
Ask your team or superiors for constructive feedback to help you improve. They should be able to identify what worked for them and offer suggestions for improvement. You can then apply those suggestions to become a better leader.
How I Make A Living As A Leader
When I first started out in the workforce I was so shy I couldn’t talk in front of more than 4 people at a time. I was a great follower, give me something to do and off I would go to get it done, I loved to work.
I never had an interest in becoming a leader however all that changed when I joined the military. I had to talk in front of others a lot and eventually, I discovered I enjoyed it. Right from the beginning, I was told I had a unique way of talking to others causing their interest in listening.
Becoming a leader takes practice and you will make mistakes however a true leader will always admit their mistakes and learn from them.
Sailing My Own Ship
Over the years I always wanted to have my own business, a ship of my own and sail with my team to higher heights.
I soon left the military to open my own business and today I have 2 online businesses thanks to a wonderful training program I discovered on my journey to finding my way to the online world.
These guys taught me everything I needed to know to get my website up and running in a matter of a couple of days.
From there they continued to guide me and train me on the essentials I needed to make it work.
Today I have 3 websites running bringing in a full-time income thanks to my team and the training that got me there.
Go Here To Learn About The Training That Got Me Started
Becoming an effective leader takes time and willpower to want to improve yourself. It’s never about controlling others, it’s about working together as an effective team.
We can all be great leaders, you just have to practice and by practicing you will make mistakes. Encourage others to give you feedback on your decisions and if they have a better idea then don’t be afraid to go with it. This not only will boost your team to new heights but your business as well.
To be a great leader you must be a great follower.
If you enjoy having someone giving you a task to do and love to go off and complete it in their direction then you have a great chance to become a great leader.
Why I Choose Affiliate Marketing
I choose to become an affiliate marketer because:
- I didn’t need my own product
- It can be done in the comfort of my own home
- I can take it with me wherever I travel
- I have thousands of products to choose from to sell
- Very low startup costs
- Very low running costs which were important to me
- It was easy to follow and do
- I can train others to do it for me to expand
- It works even when I sleep or go on vacation
- Your working hours are very flexible
- It doesn’t take a lot of time to do
Those are but a few of the reasons.
Please share your ideas and experiences with us below.
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After the explanations what then is the clear cut difference between leadership and a leader
That is a great question. According to Wikipedia, “Leadership is BOTH a research area and practical skill encompassing the ability of an individual, group or organization to “lead”, influence or guide others, teams or entire organizations.”
A Leader is one who influences or leads others.
Both are referring to having the ability to lead your people in following and trusting that you will do the right thing.
This is not what we see with our leaders of our Country because of corruption and greed among mankind.
In the work force we see the same thing, one tricking another for their gain in power and money. When a position offers more money greed kicks in and everyone wants it.
I look at leadership as the position of the leader to fill.
I hope that helps if not please let me know.
Thank you for dropping by and leaving a question.
Cheers
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Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment for me.
There are a lot of scammers online these days and it’s only going to get worse. The problem with online is that scammers hide behind the cloud and you never know who you really are dealing with because you never see a face and if you do it’s probably a person acting for them as I have covered in many of the scams I have reviewed.
Quite frankly I would not recommend contacting anyone via an email that uses a number for a name. It’s also just a Gmail email meaning it’s not even from a real company and if the person is not a real company they don’t stand a chance of getting anyone’s money back. I just have a hard time believing it’s legit. In fact, you yourself do not use a real name in your email or a photo so I would not recommend anyone to follow your advice. You also have posted this same message across several of my articles which is considered spamming. Spamming is considered as a scammer in case you didn’t know. You put this article here so others can send you an email and you can sell it to spammers.
Do not email either email in Sunny Leone post, to me it takes on the feel and look of a scammer. In fact, I will leave the email but remove some of the letters and add XXXX’s so no one uses it yet you can still see what it looks like.
Thank you for dropping by but we are here to prevent scams.
Richard