This is newsletter #37 in the series. If you have missed prior newsletters, and are enjoying the series, we encourage you to to purchase the program. More information can be found by clicking on the coupon at the bottom of this page.

The following is a list of key things that leaders do almost every day. Don’t think of it as a list of requirements—think of it as a work in progress. They’re skills and habits that you’ll acquire and perfect as you gain knowledge, experience, and confidence.

DO as Much of the Following as You Can:
1. Share. Teaching and leadership go hand-in-hand. A leader must be willing to teach skills, to share insights and experiences, and to work very closely with people to help them mature and be creative. In order to be a good teacher, you must be a good communicator.

2. Problem-Solve. While it’s important for a leader be a problem solver, he or she should also facilitate problem-solving skills in others by encouraging them to participate in the process. Give them the opportunity to bring you the solution rather than the problem. The reward that a follower (employee/subordinate) receives from actually solving problems is important. It builds self-esteem and enhances their ability to do even better in subsequent situations. By being the problem solver of last resort, a leader can help the group grow and thrive.

3. Manage Time Effectively. One of the great faults many people have is the general failure to discipline their schedules; in-boxes, telephones, continuing education, meetings, leisure time, the demands of your family, and on and on. Staying busy and working very long hours don’t equate to leadership effectiveness. On the other hand, becoming and remaining organized frees up your time by giving you the ability to work more efficiently.

4. Set High Standards. Leaders must be willing to set high standards, abide by them unwaveringly, and encourage their followers to live by those same high standards. Employees who are unable to adhere to them after training drain the organization and its capable leaders of the time, energy, and attention needed to accomplish their mission. In a business setting with circumstances such as these, leaders have a responsibility to the organization to remove those who stand in the way of success. When it’s necessary to remove people from key positions, leaders should meet with those individuals personally. The removal should be done with grace, style, and firmness. When you call individuals in to ask them to move on, you should be willing to do so—and not end the meeting until you get to the point. In our highly legalistic society, you must know and abide by the laws relating to employee discharge.

5. Take Care of Your People. Leaders should recognize not just the top performers but also the many others who are doing their jobs well. They should never ask employees (or followers) to write their own personal evaluations or effectiveness report(s). Leaders should write them and make sure they’re done with care and style. Leaders should recognize outstanding followers (employees/subordinates), while avoiding the pitfalls of favoritism. Thanking people is an important part of taking care of them, because it’s taking care of their psychological health.

6. Plan Strategically. Leaders may run an efficient and effective group or organization, but they don’t really serve long-term interests unless they plan, set goals, and provide strategic vision. Those leaders who aren’t visionaries (and many aren’t) should ensure they have frequent contact with people who have a talent and an inclination for long-range planning, visionary thinking, and innovation. The best leaders are agents for change, and one of the best ways to ensure change is accomplished systematically through good long-range planning.

7. Put Personal Ambitions Aside. Leaders must often subvert their own ambitions in order to ensure the development and maturation of those they lead. If leaders are too ambitious for the organization, or too ambitious for themselves, they may drive the organization in dysfunctional directions. They become a part of the problem rather than a part of the solution.

8. Run Effective Meetings. Much of a leader’s time is spent in meetings of one sort or another. Leaders should know what kind of meetings they’re attending; they should establish the ground rules for them; and they should be actively involved to make sure they stay on track while allowing individuals ample opportunity to express their views and their disagreements. Finally, leaders should know how to wrap meetings up, to draw conclusions, to set up the time and agenda for the next one on the subject, and to direct individuals in attendance to carry out certain tasks as a result of the decisions that have been made. Leaders must also discontinue routine meetings that aren’t serving an important purpose. Meetings should serve to accomplish a specific goal. It’s important to have, and use, written agendas; those who don’t are too easily misdirected.

9. Motivate. Leaders can’t individually reach all of their people on a regular basis, so they must count on others to provide needed motivation. Commitment to mission, love of the job and the people, dedication to high standards, frequent reinforcement of the organization’s plans and goals, strong incentives rewards, and lots of compliments for hard work and high performance are all parts of the vital motivation factor.

10. Have a Sense of Humor. Leaders should let people know that everyday life (professional or personal) isn’t so formal and intense that you can’t sit back occasionally and be amused by what’s happening. Humor can be a great tension reliever. Be relaxed and be humorous with people in a positive manner. Negative humor delivered with an acid tongue, intended to belittle others, is unprofessional and counterproductive. Off-color humor should be avoided, since it diminishes the dignity of you and everyone around you.

Leadership comes in many shapes and sizes. You don’t have to “Be” and “Do” everything discussed here to prove you’re a good leader. Some of these qualities are not absolute, and showing variations of all or some of them can translate into good leadership.

Your part is to make a commitment to be 100 percent responsible for yourself, to learn everything you can about your job, and do it the best way that you possibly can. Just do some of the things that leaders do and you’ll be surprised—the sky’s the limit. Just by having read this material, you’re well on your way.

The above content is extracted from Mike Holt's Leadership Skills textbook.

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