There’s so much more to being a leader than a title. It entails sacrifice, hard work, and dedication. More importantly, it boils down to who you are at the core.
However, many managers forget how to be a good leaders. Instead, they focus on the status it brings them – and become obsessed with prestige and power in the process.
But here’s the thing. You don’t need a title or status to be a leader or to be respected. At least not at first.
Read on to find out more.
Understanding Leadership Dimensions
Nicole Heimann’s book, “How to Develop the Authentic Leader In You,” shows that leadership skills can be developed by understanding leadership dimensions.
But first and foremost, you must determine which type of leader you are.
Physical Intelligence
Leaders who display this type of intelligence don’t just excel and perform at work. They also have a more intentional approach to life.
These are the leaders who value work-life balance. They understand that in order to work well, one must also be able to rest well.
Emotional Intelligence
People who can control their emotions make excellent leaders. It comes down to their natural ability to perceive, manage, and handle their feelings, regardless of what’s in front of them.
This is especially invaluable when you’re running a company. Leading a business requires tough decisions. Hence, having a leader who can do what’s right even when it’s difficult is key to enabling any organisation to survive and thrive.
Heart Intelligence
This pertains to leaders with a keen intuition. They’re the ones who follow their gut (or heart), especially when it comes to dealing with people – and end up being right in doing so.
While this may seem counterintuitive, it’s helpful when you have to put yourself in the shoes of your customers (or employees).
Communication Intelligence
Leaders who communicate well leave less room for mistakes and misunderstandings.
Communicating clearly and concisely will eliminate unnecessary conflict among your team members. As a result, everyone can focus on their tasks with more clarity and enthusiasm.
Pragmatic Intelligence
A good leader is a problem solver. Thus, a manager who can’t (or won’t) resolve an issue effectively cannot really call himself a leader. The position will be nothing but a mere title.
Having pragmatic intelligence means that you take on different challenges with a sensible and realistic approach. Simply put, you see problems as opportunities for growth.
Consciousness Intelligence
Lastly, consciousness intelligence refers to a person’s awareness of his/her internal and external existence.
It’s important for leaders to be introspective and to understand how their personal motives, biases, and backgrounds can affect their perspective. This way, they can make important decisions logically regardless of the circumstances.
Moreover, learning how to look at external factors also helps create an inclusive and diverse company culture. The more you understand where your employees and customers are coming from, the better your decisions will turn out.
Why Being a Great Leader Has Nothing to Do With Your Title
Many leaders forget how to interact with their subordinates when they become too detached – and attached to their titles.
In most cases, the more posturing someone engages in within a specific role, the farther they veer away from the role’s true nature and purpose.
Leaders are supposed to help their team members develop into leaders themselves- whether they hold a title or not.
It’s also crucial to experience doing tasks as another member of the team. This way, you can develop an innate understanding of what everyone needs to step up and become the next leader.
Regardless of which leadership dimension you belong to, staying true to your core values – and ensuring that they align with your company’s mission-vision – is critical.
Eager to put your leadership skills to the test? We’ve got you!
Remote Staff has been assisting Aussie SMEs and entrepreneurs like you with the help of our remote workers from the Philippines for the last 15 years and counting. So whether you want to add an additional remote employee or lead an entire team, we’ve got you covered.
Call us today or schedule a call back and let’s get started.
Serena has been working remotely and writing content for the better part of the last decade. To date, she's written for Pepper.ph and Mabuhay Magazine, among others, and has churned out more than a thousand articles on everything from The Basics of Stock Market Investing to How to Make Milk Tea-Flavored Taho at home.
