Happy Monday!!! We are halfway through September, can you believe it??? The days seem to be getting shorter and the weather is turning a tad cooler. Vacation Veronica has packed away her suitcase for a little while (at least till the holidays) and is diving back into work.
Who motivates you in your business? Not your why but that person that leads you (your team) or her team to do great things? Maybe it is you for your team – that is AWESOME! Maybe you fell into leadership and aren’t sure what to do? Been there, done that and have a tee shirt to prove it!
So, what makes a good leader? An effective leader can mentor, motivate, and inspire you to do great things. Let’s go back to those school days. When you think about ONE teacher that motivated you, who would that be? Did you accomplish things you never thought possible in that class? Did they inspire you to reach for a dream? Well, in the world of direct sales (and entrepreneurship) the same is true – we need to have people in our circles that do the same thing for us.
What are the things that YOU look for in a leader? Maybe you already have one? Maybe you are trying to emulate some of these things to become a better leader, whatever the case; let’s see what DSEF recommends as qualities in a leader:
- The person gets things done. Not only can she be relied upon to keep her word, but she finds the most efficient way to meet her responsibilities. You can learn from people who maximize their time in such a way, as it allows them to accomplish more and to do it faster.
- He/she has good social skills and is likeable. Most leaders have a natural way of relating to others and possess a certain amount of charisma. Do you enjoy being around them? Are they respected by the colleagues? Someone who can understand and relate to others can more easily lead those folks to achieve success.
- A leader wants to achieve more. A leader never stops raising the bar. Do they work on personal development to continual improve? Do they share what they have learned with others? Are you motivated or overwhelmed by this as they pass inspiration and knowledge on to you? Do they frequently assess your set of goals to achieve long-term success?
- The person learns quickly. Okay, so I was on board up until this. I sometimes think I have a hard head and as a result don’t learn from quickly. I do on the other head have focus, good listening skills, and a willingness to try new things right away.
- He/she is organized. Organization is crucial to maximize efficiency and make time for income-producing activities.
A leader understands the power of working as a team. No one finds success without the help of others in some way. Working as a team has the power to bring success to everyone involved, and a leader not only understands this concept, but knows how to facilitate collaboration to make this happen. Sometimes I am just a HOT MESS!
As I continue to grow into leadership, I continue to surround myself with leaders who have these same qualities. For me, I am practicing visualization since others see qualities in me as a leader that I don’t see in myself. Take the advice of leaders you know and use that person as a role model. Now I am not saying COPY what they do because some things may not work for you.
A role model is “an individual who is looked up to and revered by someone else. A role model is someone who other individuals aspire to be like, either in the present or in the future.” See there is nothing in there that says copy or compare yourself or your business to theirs. Remember the qualities that you look for in a leader are the same qualities that you want to emulate when you are a leader.
What are some qualities of the leaders in your life? Please share your comments below!
Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!
Hope Wissel 