Leadership is sometimes described as accomplishing goals through the efforts of others. Positive leaders use the best in themselves and bring out the best in others to energize their workplace and achieve positive goals together.
How can you use the best in yourself?
?Get clear about your vision of success. What do you really want to achieve? What will you need to do to achieve those successes? What are your core values and is your success vision consistent with your core values?
- Identify your Highest Talents™ or key strengths. An assessment like DiSC, Meyers Briggs or, my favorite, PREP Personal Strengths, can help you identify your key strengths. You can also review some of your successes one at a time and ask yourself, “What skills or strengths did I use to achieve that success?” When you observe that you used a strength repeatedly to achieve multiple successes, you’ve probably identified a key strength. Continue this process to identify 3-5 key strengths, what I refer to as your Highest Talents™. Typically, these are strengths you enjoy (love) using, in addition to doing them well. You can also ask others about the strengths they see in you. You don’t need to accept everything they say, but when a strength is mentioned repeatedly, it’s probably a key strength. You’re already using your strengths. Bring out the best in yourself by using them consciously and finding more opportunities to use them. Your energy will show and will inspire others.
How can you bring out the best in others?
- Learn the strengths and desires of others. How can you do this? Start by observing. What do you see each of your colleagues or teammates doing well? What do they appear to especially enjoy doing? Tell them what you observe. They might not be aware of what they do best or the uniqueness of their talent. Ask what they think they do best, what they enjoy doing most. Don’t make assumptions about what they want. Instead, ask more questions. Ask each of your colleagues what they want, what they enjoy. Listen to their answers and use the information you gather to help them do more of what they do best and enjoy most. You’ll see a boost in their energy, resulting in increased engagement and productivity.
- Use Visionary Leadership to motivate and inspire others. Visionary leaders see what they want to achieve and they embody their vision. They talk and act in ways that inspire their teammates to get on board and work to achieve the shared vision.
- Use Coaching Leadership to delegate masterfully. Coaching leaders align what people want to do with what the organization wants and needs. They make it possible for people to do more of what they want to do and achieve what they want to achieve, while simultaneously fulfilling their jobs and the needs of the organization. Delegation is a critical tool for Coaching leaders. Watch for my March News & Insights to learn more about Masterful Delegation.
Use the best in yourself and bring out the best in others to energize your workplace and increase engagement, productivity and profitability!