10 top tips to improve your Leadership Thinking today

The challenge of leadership is to get people to do more than they normally would, perform at a higher level of potential and to do this willingly. A leader, by definition, needs followers, real people who are inspired to climb on to the same bandwagon. Everyone, regardless of their position at work, can be a leader – the difference that leadership behaviour brings is in their approach to life and how they inspire others to make changes.
Here are 10 top tips (and 10 questions to help you think about developing good leadership qualities).

You will achieve more clarity in your thinking if you write down your answers to the questions. 

1. Help people succeed
Focus on the issue, the behaviour or the problem rather than focusing on the person. Leaders maintain the self-esteem and self-confidence of others. They do not fear developing their people; in contrast they actively support it.
Question: Who could I help succeed at something this week?

2. Define clear goals
Leaders have clarity of purpose and state it in simple terms. Wordy, complicated goals discourage buy-in. Leaders who agree clear goals help people to reach understanding and agreement about the things that need to be done.
Question: How could I communicate goals in such a way as to inspire others?

3. Set high standards
Be a role model.  Leaders must also meet the same high standards that they expect from others. People look to leaders to demonstrate the thinking, actions and behaviours required. If they do not see them they are unlikely to respond. Remember 'it's not do as I say' but 'do as I do'.
Question: What personal development might I need to make me even more effective as a leader?

4. Encourage everyone to constantly seek ways to improve procedures and product
This way, everyone gets the opportunity to contribute their best and has a clear idea of their role and function as an individual and as part of a team. It will also encourage the generation of ideas and help team members to think in a solution focused way.
Question: How might I encourage more ideas for improvement from others?

5. Take charge
Have a plan and take responsibility for implementing it. Taking charge means being held accountable, even if some of the control needs to be, or has been given up to be, replaced by trusting others to do their jobs.
Question: How much personal responsibility am I prepared to take for leading?

6. Do what is rightAvoid focusing only on material resources and instead focus on people. Develop, express and live by a well grounded set of values. In this way, respect for others and active encouragement of others becomes the culture.
Question: How could I clearly demonstrate my values so that people will trust me?

7. Give credit where credit is due
You may lay the foundation but the bricks and mortar are always the products of your people's efforts. Recognise and celebrate individual and team achievements.
Question: When did I last celebrate the success of one of my team?

8. Demonstrate the virtue of loyalty
Be loyal to the people you lead and the individuals who are your leaders. This means treating people with respect whilst acknowledging different opinions, motivations, values and work styles.
Question: What have I done over the last week to support people individually?

9. Ask people to think
Value and encourage risk taking, creativity and new ideas to take the business forward. People need to be developed to think for themselves as opposed to being told what to do and how to do it all the time. Also acknowledge the working relationships that are formed that encourage effective thinking within the team. Reward people for thinking and acting in this way.
Question: What else might I do to encourage people to think for themselves?

10. Value learning
Encourage people to think about themselves in relation to their jobs and the organisation as a whole. What do they need to know, learn or deal with for their own development and to meet the needs of the business? Influence people to take responsibility to define their own goals and actions for their personal development.
Question: How could I engender a culture of learning among my team?

One final question: What will I definitely do to build on my leadership skills?