Everyone knows when they have been around a strong leader – that leader just seems to “have it.” But what is it? And how do you develop it to become a great leader yourself?
Here’s our take on seven habits you can do each day to help you become a better leader.
Practice what you preach
To be a respected leader, you need to live by company values and truly believe in what you do and why you do it. Only through walking the talk will the people around you feel inspired and excited to follow you on the journey and want to contribute to the organization’s success.
Value your team
In a world where it’s commonplace for people to hold numerous positions – even careers – over their lifetime, it’s more important than ever to retain top-performing team members. This is why ensuring people feel supported and valued in the workplace should be a key focus of the modern leader.
Be organized
To consistently set and achieve goals, leaders need to know how to prioritize tasks and organize the right people to complete them. If a leader lacks effective organizational skills, in times of crisis, it can be extremely challenging to motivate people to do what needs to be done.
Take responsibility
The best type of leader gives praise when it’s due and takes the rap when things don’t go as planned. Understanding the business on a holistic level and how each decision impacts the whole gives you immense knowledge and power. With this privilege comes responsibility and ultimate accountability for your own and your employees’ actions.
Invest in others
Great leaders make it their mission to help employees reach their potential, which means investing time, energy and resources to help those around you to grow personally and professionally.
Ensure others are heard
In addition to investing in the growth of those around you, it is important to listen to them. Great leaders understand the importance of listening to all ideas and concerns and recognizing how those affect the greater organization.
Take risks
Effective leaders are willing to take risks, not by being reckless but by having the courage to think outside the box and be confident in their decision-making. Of course, hand-in-hand with taking risks is accepting the possibility of failure, and being comfortable with it. Sometimes risks don’t pay off, but a successful leader learns from past mistakes, mentors others, and moves on.
At OAAPN, we understand that improved healthcare options for all Ohioans are important to both the profession and the community as a whole. We seek to strengthen both our profession and our individual members by providing resources to our members that they can’t get elsewhere. Of course, if you are not already a member of OAAPN, we invite you to join today.