Effective Leaders...and Servants

As an AMC person, I’m often labeled as a “leader” in Mensa. And while I do lead committees and discussions, most of my work is done as a servant to the members and organization.

 

I recently read an interesting article about being an effective leader:

 

 

 MAKE YOUR OWN LUCK

 If you want something, ask for it . . . Go get it.

 

FOLLOW YOUR PASSION

Be passionate about the area you’re leading; how else can you empower and motivate teams around you?

 

IMPROVE YOUR PUBLIC SPEAKING

Without the confidence to speak in front of groups or even infront of a small team you’re leading, it’s tough to effectively.

 

BE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE

Habitual negativity is a slippery slope. Effective leaders shift their mindset to invoke positivity in those around them. Something that may have been an “issue” or “problem” can instead be an opportunity to improve. A positive influence is infectious—and makes the work more enjoyable for you and your employees.

 

BE HUMBLE

Let the work, results, and performance speak for themselves, rather than talking about how great you are. Leaders with big egos and self-centered behavior eventually hit a wall. 

 

BE WELL-ROUNDED

Effective leaders tend to be “good or better” in most or all categories of leadership, such as people management, the ability to sell and deliver or produce results, interpersonal skills, relationship-building skills, and more.

 

PRIORITIZE INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

Relationships are everything. That starts with being genuine, investing time in these relationships, respecting all opinions, and being mindful of how you treat people. 

 

COMMIT TO DEADLINES

Being committed to deadlines in addition to effort builds credibility and shows stakeholders that you are reliable and trustworthy, which often leads to additional responsibilities. 

 

 TAKE CARE OF YOU

Finding balance across mind, body, and spirit will keep effective leaders sharp, focused, and able to sustain their positive impact in the long term. 

 

KEEP RESKILLING 

Whether it’s training, reading, or side projects, even the most senior leaders never stop learning. Particularly now, in 2022, when technology is changing faster than most humans are capable of adapting, if you aren’t a continuous learner, you will eventually be left behind.

 

BE SELF-SUFFICIENT

Demonstrate that you can handle a role with minimal supervision. If you’re independently capable, a next obvious step will be to lead and guide others.

 

BECOME AN EXPERT IN SOMETHING

Covering many types of assignments and roles is useful to become well-rounded, but at some point, it helps to become a subject matter expert—the acknowledged go-to person.

 

You know what? All these steps make for better servants, too.