How to be an effective executive leader
There are many common traits for an effective leader. Success leads to clues. Here are some areas significant for exceptional leadership.
Lead yourself
To be highly effective as a leader, you have to lead yourself. If you cannot lead yourself, you cannot lead others. It is like what they say in an airplane, "In case of an emergency, make sure to put on your oxygen mask before you help someone else.
Always have a good night's sleep. Eat healthy food and drink plenty of water. Your body needs the energy to last the whole day. Your immune system will be stronger, and your concentration will be higher.
Start the day every morning with training and meditation. It sets you off to a great start, and together with a cold shower and positive affirmation, you build a solid self-confidence.
The most influential power in human psychology is to be consistent with the way you see yourself. Therefore it's so important to see yourself as a high performing individual with no limitations.
Study the best
Leaders are learners and they devote time to educate themselves. Learn from the best, and the more you learn, the more you earn. When you are consistent in your learning, you eventually experience the law of compounding. Read more about how you can be more effective in your personal growth by studying the best here.
Teamwork makes the dream work
One is too small of a number to achieve greatness. When you create momentum in a group, it's is one of the best things you can experience. You have to inspire everyone in the team to value the result of the team higher than the individual result. When everyone feels that they are part of the organization, they commit themselves to personal growth to contribute to the team result.
Right people on the bus
The result of the leader's performance is dependent on the five people closest to you. Make sure you have the right people around. If they are hungry and eager to develop themselves and the organization, you have a high starting point.
However, the leaders around you don't buy into your vision or values; they have to do something else. Read more about the importance of having the right people on the bus here.
Problem-solving and coaching
Develop your coaching and problem-solving skills. Great leaders develop new leaders and understand the importance of leadership growth for the company.
Make sure to have repeated conversations with your direct reporting managers. Coach them to be accountable and inspire them to develop themselves and the people around them. Here are some great coaching questions you can use.
Where are we going?
Where are you going with yourself and your department?
This is what I think you are doing well and why.
What do you think you're doing well?
What is some suggestion for improvement?
If you where the coach for you, what advice would you have for you?
How can I help?
What would you like me to do?
Be time effective
If you want to reduce your amount of time spent on emails, you need to send fewer emails yourself. Instead you call people or interact with them or arrange a meeting. Interaction is always better and more personal than an email.
Limit the persons you cc and only use email for information. Long, sophisticated emails with delegating tasks usually don't work. The reason is that an email can leave out body language and tonality that stands for the major part of communication.
Value yourself and the people you lead
Start by valuing yourself and always value the people you lead. Wisdom without compassion is rootlessness. People will see through you if you fake your compassion. You have to be authentic. First, people buy the leader; then, they buy the vision.
Hiring
Leaders with high leadership skills can spot people with great potential. Things that I look for when hiring are people that have some passion. They develop themselves and are great team builders. They have a positive attitude and know the art of building their success.
In the end, you will not get the people you want; you will attract people who you are. Grow yourself, and your hiring skills will be improved.
Turn over
If the leaders you are leading experience high turnover, you have to pay attention to it. High turnover generates a cost, and the company's ability to build competence is affected.
People are joining a company but leaving the leader. Either the leader is not in the right position or doesn't have the right leadership skills. To lead the business, you need to be able to lead people.
Not addressing this problem can cost your business severely.
Long term thinking
Where focus goes energy flows. Your attention must go from tactical execution to more forward proactive thinking. What do we do today that will benefit the company and us in the future? Many companies are reacting and focusing on the competition instead of how they can be successful over time.
