Throughout history it was believed leaders were born, usually into royalty as: kings, queens, counts, princess and so on.

However, we’ve come to realize that leaders are not just people that possess power or authority.

A true leader can be anyone that inspires others towards a joined vision and can get people to do as they do!

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In today’s society we see authority figures that hold positions such as: CEOs, managers or politicians.

They hold power through their titles and people do in fact follow them!

However, they are not always “true leaders“.

Why is that?Well, it’s because they do not inspire actions, demand it.

People that follow you because they have to will always give the least amount of effort possible. Yet, the most effective leaders will spark a determination in people that will get them to give their all, every minute, of every day to their leader.

The reason behind this is, people love, respect and trust these leaders to show them the way to accomplish their very own dreams. Therefore, they are willing to work harder for the leader that gets them what they want. With that being said, what kind of leader would you like to be?

 

If it’s a motivational one, here are six easy ways to become a more effective leader:

1. Be likable

Sounds simple right enough right? Well to some it isn’t!

Being likable can actually be difficult! I’ am sure you can think of one person you just don’t like for whatever reason (I know I can).

If you want to be an effective leader you have to be liked by others or no one will follow you. So, make sure to treat others with respect and kindness. Greet them with a smile and don’t be afraid to ask about their families, how their weekend was or simply how they are.

Doing this will go a long way, people always like and respect a person that cares.

2. Take the leap of faith

As a leader you have to take risks that can have negative or positive outcomes.

Making these kinds of decisions in a given situation frightens many people leaving them grounded like a deer caught in a cars headlights. However, an effective leader will push their fears aside, develop a solution with confidence and take actions that others can follow.

3. Be a leader by example

Many people in positional leadership roles tell others what to do without ever have done it themselves.

Sounds familiar, right? So how can you expect someone to follow you if you don’t know how things are supposed to be done?

Effective leaders will learn how things are done and do it themselves first. People will look up to someone that know what they are doing and has the experience to teach them how to do it.

4. Learn people’s strengths

Everyone will be good at something different, it’s only natural.

As a leader you must observe and listen to others in order to find their strengths. Use these strengths to maximize your followers potential and help them grow.

This will lead to a more effective team of followers and drive momentum in difficult situations.

5. Teach others

A leader must develop an easy-to-follow system in order to teach others effectively.

You have to be willing to spend the time and energy to show others how things other done. We all know the saying “patience is a virtue“, this is critical for a leader when teaching others. Not everyone will understand right away, so take your time and remain calm even if it takes longer than expected.

Your followers will notice your patience and give you all they can to show their gratitude.

6. Motivating your followers

Most important of all, a leader must motivate and inspire people.

This will gain you the maximum loyalty and effort from your followers. You need to find out what their dreams and goals are and help them achieve those things.

The best way to motivate people is to give them a reason why they need to do something. This “why” reason is the vision of what your followers are working towards accomplishing through your leadership and help.

To wrap up

Now that you know how to be a more effective leader put it in practice.

Remember anyone can be a leader by title but a great leader will always: take risks, be willing to learn themselves, teach and most importantly motivate others to succeed.

 

If you want to learn more about leadership check out this amazing video: John Maxwell-5 levels of leadership

Share this article so that others can learn to become effective leaders.

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