It’s the little things that matter in leadership. Just like in life, the small actions you take every day can have a huge impact on your relationships with those around you. Whether you’re a longtime leader or you aspire to step into a leadership role, there are many small things you can do to ensure you lead effectively.
Vinita Bansal, the founder of techtello.com, has put together a list of micro habits that transform managers into highly effective leaders. We share her guidance in this issue of PromoPro Daily.
Don’t succumb to fear. Fear is what causes leaders to miss opportunities. It can render even the best leaders ineffective. Are highly effective leaders fearless all the time? No, Bansal says, but they don’t let fear get in the way of doing their job. They do this by acknowledging fear as part of being human and using fear to think through their decisions. Remember that courage is feeling fear — not eliminating it — and taking action despite the fear.
Avoid negative people. When leaders surround themselves with naysayers, idea-crushers and cynical people, decisions take longer, new ideas get stifled and the status quo continues on. Instead, practice the micro habit of checking the energy of the people around you. Do they raise concerns respectfully or are they simply spreading negativity?
Address cognitive biases. Many cognitive biases like fundamental attribution error, confirmation bias and all-or-nothing thinking lead to habitual errors in thinking, Bansal says. Leaders who don’t address their cognitive biases may be quicker to blame, point out character flaws in others, reject great ideas and treat employees unfairly. What can you do to break free from these biases? Bansal says you can work on your self-awareness to ensure your biases don’t get in the way of how you collaborate with others.
Shine the light on other people. Highly effective leaders don’t want the spotlight — they shine it on their team. This micro habit of lifting others up can help amplify people’s thinking and capabilities. Use your position as a leader to celebrate your team members and show them what’s possible. Lift them up and give them an opportunity to succeed, Bansal says.
It takes effort and consistency to become an extraordinary leader. Start by mastering the micro habits above. You’ll become a better leader with a higher-performing team.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Vinita Bansal is an author and founder of techtello.com.
