How to Apply Leadership Principles (1 of 2) – Effective Leadership

If you have been following the Effective Leadership series of articles you may have noticed that one tends to build on another. Here again, we will build on the Character Traits (in parenthesis)and combine them to form Effective Leadership Principles.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Your own drive to improve and excel.

1. Know Yourself And Seek Self-Improvement:
   
   You have to know yourself inside and out. Make sure that you don't simply dismiss others critiques. Be aware of habits and predictable actions. Then evaluate yourself honestly. Immediately begin to capitalize on your strengths while abandoning or working on weakness. As you obviously seek to improve yourself, it will get noticed.(Bearing, Courage, Dependability, Decisiveness, Endurance, Initiative, Integrity, Judgment, Knowledge, Unselfishness)

2. Be Technically And Generally Proficient:
   
   As you came up the ranks you had a specialty or skill that got you promoted or hired. You need to maintain an expert rating in that field. And, you need to have a working knowledge of your subordinates job skills as well. If you manage a flower shop, you also need to be able to drive the delivery truck. You don't have to be the ultimate expert in every field or skill that works under you. What you need is enough information to evaluate and provide useful guidance to your team in that specialty. (Bearing, Dependability, Endurance, Enthusiasm, Initiative, Judgment, knowledge)

3. Develop A Sense Of Responsibility Among Your Subordinates:
   
   No one wants to remain at the bottom forever. Since it is human nature to desire promotion, help your subordinates by making them the owners of the tasks assigned. They need to understand and reach for each task as if they were the actual manager. While they are performing their duties, make sure they have your support and are able to “speak with your voice” at appropriate times and places. (Bearing, Courage, Dependability, Decisiveness, Endurance, Enthusiasm, Initiative, Integrity, Justice, Judgment, Knowledge, Tact)

4. Make Sound And Timely Decisions:
   
   Business moves at the speed of life. It would be wonderful if we had perfect information as well as perfect timing. Instead you must make a decision that is the best case for the time and information available. A workable decision that is just in time is better than a perfect decision that is two days late. (Bearing, Dependability, Decisiveness, Endurance, Enthusiasm, Initiative, Judgment, knowledge)

5. Set The Example:
   
   Every day you are the bright shining example for your employees or subordinates. Does your organization have a dress code, ethics policy, or a standard of performance? If so, then your subordinates need to see you leading the way by setting an example of expertise and compliance. New employees should be told to watch you for tips on exactly how to behave. (Bearing, Courage, Dependability, Decisiveness, Endurance, Enthusiasm, Initiative, Integrity, Justice, Judgment, knowledge, Tact, Unselfishness)

6. Know Your Subordinates And Look Out For Their Welfare:
   
   Supervision is leadership by the use of people. Management is Leadership by the use of systems and process. A leader is both supervisor and manager. In addition to knowing the technical details of your job, you need to personally know your employees. You need to know them as people. In this way, when one has a problem, he isn't a number. And by looking out for his welfare, you are looking out for your own. (Courage, Dependability, Decisiveness, Initiative, Integrity, Justice, Judgment, Loyalty, Tact, Unselfishness)

Tips & Warnings

• Consistent application of these and the rest of the leadership principles will yield results.
• When your employees know that you are looking out for them as well as the bottom line, you will prosper as a leader.
• Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Your authority is not diminished by those things. If you make a mistake, take responsibility for it and correct it. Your employees will remember that you didn't allow anything to roll downhill onto them.

[ashiflett]

on 3/5/2009 Excellent article!

[TheHabe]

on 2/13/2009 Great article and very specific tips. Thanks.

[mariamystar33]

on 2/12/2009 i like the fact that you are building these articles in a series upon one another to make them more effective. it takes effort to interweave work like this and i respect your dedication! 5*