Do you feel like a leader? 

Well, if you said ‘sometimes’ I can tell you when you position yourself as a leader, more people will sit up and take notice. You have the knowledge and possess a ton of mad skills – or you are working on them. 

It takes years to become a great coach and leader.  But when you use your personal strengths you can start doing more right now. Do you know what your best assets are?  How can you use them to build up your business and in positioning yourself as a leader?

Here are a Few Ways to Become a Great Leader

Read every day

Pick up books about marketing, business building or any topic that interests you. You’ll sound like a leader whether you’re at a networking event or critiquing a new logo.  I like to use the service called www.readitfor.me so I can listen to a ‘cliff note’ type version of marketing and business books.  The site also has other options for watching or reading those cliff notes.

Keep learning

Take advantage of all the free training and paid training out there. With sites like Udemy (how do you say that anyway?) and YouTube, there’s always something you can learn.  If you are more tech-oriented, you can try out a new graphics or software package. 

Take breaks and make good use of them

Those moments you spend online can be put to good use. Break out your phone and search for industry news. Or set up alerts on your phone.  You will definitely stand out if you are the first to be ‘in the know’.  And read those trade journals.  This will keep you on the cutting edge.

Present failures and be proud of them

We all fail at one time or another. Even if you face a challenge and fail, at least you’ve tried and you can pat yourself on the back and feel more positive about yourself. Think of challenges as chances to learn and grow.  And turn them into leadership teaching opportunities.

Look forward to the future

Unless you’re looking forward to the future, you’re miserable in the present. The future has so much potential for you to prosper and learn and to have all good things enter your life.

Don’t expect overnight success

When you’re attempting to position yourself as a leader, change your thinking!  Yes, negative thoughts may creep in.  Time to change those thoughts to positive!  It. Will. Not. Happen.  Overnight.  Give yourself a break and allow some time to succeed.

Treat yourself

Nothing boosts your mood and helps you change from negative to positive thoughts than a massage, a game of golf, a manicure/pedicure or a new piece of designer menswear by Paul Smithor pair of shoes.  Don’t forget to celebrate the small wins.

Become an Undercover Boss

You know the show.  Shadow a great employee. Give your best employee a chance to show you the good and the bad of their job. Pump them up and let them know that you admire their work.

Find a mentor

In addition to networking and sharing information with your peers, it’s good to have a mentor. A mentor is simply someone who is further along on the path of success than you are. Their experience can teach you a great deal. They can help you avoid making the mistakes they made along the way.

Schedule time to network

Like other aspects in a business, networking works best when it’s a regular part of your schedule. Scout out opportunities and make it a point to attend events on a regular basis. Set goals on growing your number of contacts.

Experience and learn new things

Take a class to learn something, take up a sport or engage in a hobby like seeking out cash app games to win real money, that you’ve always wanted to learn more about. It could be something as simple as taking a cooking class. Just get out and do it.

Use Your Skills to Position Yourself as a Leader

1. Take responsibility.

Prove that you can be trusted to do what you say you’re going to do. Develop a reputation for doing what you say you’ll do. This also forces you to not take on too much.  Know your limits of what you can and can’t accomplish.

2.  Journal your accomplishments.

Make it a habit to write down your ideas and achievements. I love using a journal.  And when you look over your wins, you’ll boost your confidence. Even your mistakes will remind you what you can do better next time.

3. Be happy.

Attitude is an important part of leadership. Speak kindly to your coworkers and care about their life. Find happiness in your work and how it serves the community. 

4. Take the initiative.

Put yourself out there and go the extra mile. Volunteer for tasks that fall outside of your job description even if they’re not your favorite thing to do. Pitch in when someone needs a hand.  Or just let everyone know you are willing to help.

5. Share feedback.

Thank people for commenting on your performance.  If you do great, you want to hear it.  And if you need some help, get it and keep moving forward.  The most important part of becoming a leader is showcasing your professional growth. Offer constructive criticism and ask and enable others to share with you. 

6. Give, give and give some more. 

Let your colleagues know they can count on you when they need your time and expertise. Become a valuable member of your group.  And keep an eye out for anyone who’s struggling.  When you reach out to help someone, most likely, you will become great friends and are able to refer people and resources in the future.

7. Keep in touch. 

Keep in touch with your contacts fairly regularly even if you’re not currently doing business with them. A handwritten thank you note or email updating them on how your business is going is great and unexpected.   Even better – reach out and offer to help them again just like you did when you first met. And of course, there is always social media to stay in touch.

8. Attend conferences. 

Attend trade conferences and trade shows in your industry. You’ll learn a ton about what’s going on currently, what’s new and what’s projected for the future.

Become the kind of leader others want to follow. Your knowledge and skills are valuable resources that can help you develop your talents and inspire others.  Running a small business isn’t easy.  It’s full of bumps and you’ll get bruised up.  But it’s worth it. 

Use some of these tips on positioning yourself as a leader to get you started!