I caught the train to Perth the other day with a group of lovely women who were all wearing red hats and purple outfits. They were laughing and joking and I couldn’t resist asking what they were all about. They said that belonged to the Red Hat Society. They were part of a global group of women over 50 years old who simply get together and have a lot of fun. So I now have a choice. Do I want to be part of the majority of women aged 50 and over, or should I look forward to joining a small group of women and do something different?
Leaders should aspire to be different too. Every company has leaders. Every charity, community, and sporting group has leaders. They really are very common in our society. So what will make you different? What makes you belong to the top 10% of leaders who aren’t average? To be one of the leaders that leaves a positive legacy with others?
Leadership is not a title or a promotion. To be a good leader it has to be a way of being. Now more than ever businesses need leaders who display great courage and passion for their people. Here are some tips to move from an average to a good leader
Become aware of your own strengths and those of your team. You can only get your team’s full commitment when you have tapped into their hearts and minds. By listening more and talking less you will learn how to inspire others and they will learn to trust you.
Be able to have the tough conversations and deal with concerns as they arise, because they will. Be prepared to stand up for what you and your team believe in. Leadership is a much about the fight as it is about the influence.
Be humble enough to know that you cannot possibly have all the information and all the answers and that your team will be there to help provide them.
Don’t solve your team’s problems. Encourage them to solve them by asking questions rather than providing advice. Your team will grow as a result and you will enable the capability they possess.
Dare to be different. Dare to be better. Have fun and keep learning.
