A Lesson in Leadership

A key trait great leaders share is humility. Great leaders are able to disregard their preconceptions and look at situations objectively. Arrogance and pride never factor into decisions, which are made for the greater good of the group or organization. Critical thinking and the ability to care are essential tools in a great leader’s toolkit.

Are you a great leader?

In the six short years the state of Florida has allowed me to work legally, I have encountered great leaders. In the same time span, I have encountered many bad leaders. Most of these bad leaders weren’t horrible people, but people who didn’t possess any leadership qualities. Time and maturity could cure these people.

The great leaders I have had the honor of working with all shared the aforementioned qualities. The most amazing trend I witnessed, though, was the fact that they didn’t have to try to lead–they just did it. It came naturally to them and they made the workplace somewhere enjoyable to work. They also became great mentors of mine, coaching me in the many decisions I’ve made.

The reason I’m posting this is that lately, I have some experiences that have taught me a few lessons in leadership. These are a few things that I’ve picked up on that aspiring leaders should learn:

• Care about people. Take the time to tell someone that you appreciate what they are doing and that they have an impact on the world around them.
• Listen to people. Employees and teammates have great ideas as well. Allow them to present their insights and you could find your group or organization performing better.
• Lighten Up. Work doesn’t have to always be serious. Allowing employees to have fun and be productive at the same time will create a better work atmosphere, potentially improving quality.
• Delegate tasks. You may feel like you have all the answers and are the only one who can do the work, but give employees the chance to showcase their abilities. This creates a win-win situation, giving you a break and giving employees the satsifaction of being involved.
• Admit your mistakes. Never cover up mistakes or place blame on others. When you admit your faults, you allow yourself to be human and be a better role model for employees. Plus, mistakes always comeback to bite you one way or another!

Take a look around you some time and see if you notice people who embody these traits. Do you find yourself looking up to them?

Filed under: Uncategorized

Do you know as much as you think you do?

(Warning: Long, reflective post.)

Do you ever have moments when you silently reflect on the time you’ve invested in something and wonder if you’ve made the most out of it?

Throughout these past two week, I’ve begun to wonder if I’ve really pushed myself as much as I should have throughout the past three years of college. I would like to think so, but the honest truth is that I have not. I’ve tried to do my best, but I never quite shot for 110%.

Then I began to wonder if I truly knew as much about public relations as I thought I did. I got the same results–enough to get by, but not much more than that. After a few days of pondering this realization, I figured out why I haven’t pushed myself to the limit: Fear.

This sounds odd, but for my first three years of college, I dreaded registering for classes because I didn’t want to start taking upper-level classes for fear of failure. I was nervous to get an internship because I thought I would be a failure. Hell, I was nervous to start a blog for fear of embarassment.  Now, this all seems extremely silly.

Once I immersed myself in my classes, I surprised myself at how well I absorbed the information. I got an internship and learned many things to supplement my classes. I began to blog (obviously) and realized that readership isn’t something to worry about as long as you enjoy it and take something away.

My point with this little anecdote is that I’ve finally seen the larger picture. I now know attending class is just one factor in the college education equation. Going beyond the curriculum and putting your schoolwork to use is what really cements the ideas you learned together. Take the time to be curious.

While you’re at it, challenge yourself too! Now is the time to target your weaknesses and begin strengthening them. If you want to be a better writer, do so. You can join the school newspaper, start a blog, write for a newsletter or just free write. The best way to work on your weaknesses is force yourself to do whatever it is. I’m a poor public speaker. Therefore, I’ve begun to speak more in front of large groups and improve my speech at every opportunity. Practice makes perfect you better!

Also, set goals. If you take one thing from this lengthy post, let this be it. Creating a plan of action for yourself is one of the most important and positive things you can do. This gives you a road map of where you want to go and how to get there. Make the goals reachable, yet challenging. Track your progress and reward yourself as you reach them. Do this and you’re sure to set yourself up for success!

(Thanks for reading all the way to the bottom. I know the two of you who actually did so wish you had the time back, huh?)

Image Credit: ms.lume

Filed under: Reflection, School, Success, Writing