{"id":10824,"date":"2022-05-24T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-24T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/?p=10824"},"modified":"2022-05-24T09:11:19","modified_gmt":"2022-05-24T13:11:19","slug":"boost-leadership-skills-with-4-strategies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/boost-leadership-skills-with-4-strategies\/","title":{"rendered":"Boost Leadership Skills with 4 Strategies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Good leadership is the most crucial component of any successful social, cultural, or professional community. Through a combination of know-how, people skills, and personal responsibility, leaders have the power to transform ideas into reality.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When leadership opportunities arise in your office, your club, your school, or even your friend group, you should consider taking them if you want to develop valuable skills that will open future doors. Leaders learn how to inspire, how to instill confidence in others, and how to build trust. Their time management, organization, public speaking, and problem-solving abilities start to become second nature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what your path in life may be, this kind of personal growth is sure to benefit you. Leadership skills demonstrate to the people around you that you\u2019re a capable, driven, and teamwork-oriented individual. Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi once said, “Leaders are made, they are not born.” With that in mind, check out these simple tips to get you started on your leadership journey.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Listen with empathy <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s one thing to listen to somebody\u2019s problems, but it takes an in-touch leader to really step in that other person\u2019s shoes and experience their concerns for yourself. When someone comes to you with an issue in a community setting, they probably aren\u2019t looking just to vent. They\u2019re seeking out your guidance and an actionable response. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Empathy is an internal process, but there are helpful things you can do to demonstrate it externally. When you\u2019re in conversation with someone who\u2019s experiencing a problem, say things like \u201cThat makes sense\u201d and \u201cI see where you\u2019re coming from.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t have a solution right away, giving a boilerplate response such as \u201cLet\u2019s circle back\u201d can feel like a dismissal. Instead, be proactive and specific. Try something along the lines of, \u201cI appreciate your concern and I\u2019ll have an answer for you by the end of the day.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Encourage feedback <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Everyone\u2019s familiar with the stereotype of a self-obsessed leader who stubbornly refuses to take advice from others, from King Joffrey to King Lear. Pride may be the single greatest obstacle in the way of great leadership. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can avoid this pitfall by being humble and accountable in your approach to leadership. Remember that your leadership position doesn\u2019t make you infallible or omniscient. Not only is it wise to take advantage of other people\u2019s perspectives in your decision-making, but doing so empowers your team members and makes them feel more fulfilled in their roles.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what kind of organization you\u2019re leading, an \u201copen door policy\u201d is a good idea. Make yourself available for high-level meetings, simple check-ins, and feedback. Listening to feedback is only half of the equation. The other half is being accountable to that feedback. That means truly absorbing your team\u2019s thoughts and incorporating them into future plans.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. Research leadership styles <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are some tried-and-true tactics for basic leadership skills, but beyond that, there are many different approaches that great leaders throughout history have employed for specific situations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, lots of those leaders have imparted their wisdom through written works. You can pick up a How-To guide from some of the most important leaders ever to sit in the big chair<\/a>, from Sun Tzu to Bill Gates to Meetup CEO David Siegel!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are just a few leadership styles you can dive into: <\/p>\n\n\n\n