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BLOGS
50 Rules for Being a Great Leader
February 12, 2016
If becoming a
great leader
in your own business or organization is your goal, these 50
rules are a good place to start:
Listen to your team.
Rule one. Always listen to what your team has to say, even if
you don’t like it.
Communicate as efficiently as possible.Make your expectations
and feelings clear, in the appropriate medium as often as
possible.
Talk less.Sometimes saying nothing is better than saying just
anything.
Be an example.Be the type of person you want your team members
to be.
Be passionate.If you aren’t passionate about your business,
you’re in the wrong business.
Be consistent.Be consistentin your behaviors so your team
knows what to expect from you.
Make firm decisions. Don’t leave things undecided for long,
and don’t waver about a decision once you’ve made it.
Identify mentors and role models. Find people you can look up
to and learn from, and follow them closely.
Interfere only when necessary. If you trust your team to do
good work, don’t interfere unless absolutely necessary.
Know your limits. Don’t extend yourself beyond your means.
Know your strengths.If you’re good at resolving disputes, step
in and resolve them as often as possible.
Know your weaknesses.If there’s something you’re not good at,
admit it, and work on it.
Don’t make excuses.If you make a mistake, take ownership of it
and don’t pass the blame to someone or something else.
Accept the unforeseen.You can’t control or predict everything.
Choose your partners carefully.Work only with people you can
count on and trust.
Do good.Commit yourself to being a good person and giving back
to the community when possible.
Meet new people all the time.Take every opportunity to expand
your network and expose yourself tonew experiences and
Stay in touch with your emotions.Don’t be a robot — let
yourself feel.
Temper your reactions.Hold back your reactions until you have
a moment to clarify your internal thoughts and feelings.
Have fun.Take the time to have fun with your team.
Research everything.Before making a decision, know the pros
and cons — do your homework.
Think everything through.Never exclusively trust your
instincts or first reactions.
Choose your team carefully.Hire only those you can trust to
get the job done (and to get along with others, as well).
Prioritize your team.Your team is everything. Give them
whatever they need to succeed.
Be humble.Don’t get big-headed about your wealth, influence or
position as a leader.
Forgive mistakes.Everyone makes them.
Forgive yourself.Don’t beat yourself up too much over
anything. Move on.
Be rational.Make decisions logically.
Be reasonable.Listen to dissenting opinions, and be fair.
Make time for what’s important.There’s no such thing as “not
having time” for what’s really important in your life. Make
the time.
Constantly learn.
Read as much as you can, and take classes whenever you have
the opportunity.
Improve everything.Work on improving your approaches, your
skills and your processes constantly.
Never give up.Don’t throw in the towel when alittle extra
persistence could put you over the edge.
Transform your methods when necessary.If something isn’t
working, change your approach.
Cut your losses when necessary.If you’re fighting a losing
battle, retreat and start again somewhere else (or in a new
way).
Learn from your mistakes.Try not to make the same mistakes
twice.
Ground everything with data.Back up all your decisions,
opinions and thoughts with hard, objective facts and evidence.
Don’t ignore signs of stress.Stress is real and can interfere
with your ability to lead. If it starts setting in at abnormal
levels, take action to reduce or relieve it.
Give feedback.Let your team know what they’re doing well and
what needs further improvement.
Trust, but verify.Trust your team to get things done, but
always follow up to make sure the work is completed.
Be approachable.Let people know they can trust you, and open
your door to anybody who need it.
Treat everyone equally.Don’t play favourites; it breeds
resentment and makes you appear immature as a leader.
Don’t pursue close personal relationships with the team.Be on
friendly terms, but don’t try to be best friends with
everybody. You’re a leader, first and foremost.
Get the team together.Use team-building exercises or other
excuses to get your team members talking with one other and
having fun together.
Return favours.If someone helps you, make it your
responsibility to pay back the favour — even if it’s years
later.
Don’t burn bridges.Never cut a contact completely out of your
life.
Stay in touch.If team members leave or change roles, stay in
contact with them.
Don’t sacrifice your personal life.Your personal life is
necessary to retain your own mental health. Never sacrifice it
for the sake of leadership or professional responsibilities.
Enjoy leadership.Try not to stress too much about being a
leader. Instead,enjoy all the benefits it offers.
Take advice with a grain of salt.Even with these 50 rules!
Because nobody knows everything, and no one piece of advice
applies to all situations.
Follow these rules, trust your instincts and continually strive
for self-improvement. Eventually, through your experiences and
your efforts, you’ll become the type of leader most people only
aspire to be
