A large part of quality leadership is learning from those who came before you. Whether through mentorship or study of similar industries, young or new leaders can learn a lot about their field through listening to those who are more experienced. Leaders who fail to grow or hone their skills encounter certain difficulties throughout their career which could be avoided if they turned to former industry leaders for advice. To become the best leader you can be, here are insightful quotes from famous leaders throughout the world:
"My job is not to be easy on people. My job is to take these great people we have and to push them and make them even better," Steve Jobs
No one ever said that being a leader is easy or that you only should be positive with your employees. Sometimes, you may need to provide constructive criticism or firmly tell them that they need to perform better, not only for the good of the company, but for their own career. Just as great leaders from those who came before them, you can impart your wisdom or advice on your employees.
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy," Martin Luther King, Jr.
A quality leader is one who triumphs in the face of adversity or any kind of economic or industry-related challenge. While your employees may love you when their workdays are easy and engaging, when they are overloaded or stressed, they will turn to you for guidance. How you respond when these moments arrive can determine how effective a leader you truly are.
"Earn your leadership every day," Michael Jordan
While you may be a naturally gifted leader, if you don't work hard and continuously earn the respect of your coworkers and peers, you may not be the best leader you can be. Periodically ask for feedback from your staff and seek out advice from former managers or executives in your field.
"The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it," Theodore Roosevelt
Being a good leader means knowing when to take a step back and let others do their work and shine. Though your first instinct may be to micro-manage or ensure that a job gets done, remember why you hired or promoted each of your employees at their current position. If you want to mold the next generation or group of leaders, you have to have the confidence to back off and allow them to grow. Even if they make small mistakes along the way, it is all part of the learning experience. A good leader is one who puts their faith in his or her employees.
"You don't have to hold a position in order to be a leader," Henry Ford
As this quote says, you don't even have to be a boss to be a leader. Whether you are working on a team project or pulling your weight in your department, there are an endless number of ways you can showcase your leadership abilities. Don't wait for a promotion to show your coworkers what you have to offer in terms of your leadership ability. Being willing to help others, go above and beyond, and be eager to learn more each day are all foundational skills that make a great leader.
At ProSolutions Training, we offer numerous online CDA classes, online child care courses and social service courses for interested professionals. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help empower you learn more about your field and grow into the quality leader you were born to become.
