How To Become A Great Leader

Great leaders inspire, motivate, and guide their teams to achieve their goals and make a positive impact. But becoming a great leader isn’t easy – it requires a combination of skills, knowledge, and experience.

Becoming a great leader requires a combination of skills, knowledge, and experience, and it’s a continuous journey of learning and growth. One of my clients, Kyle Christensen, is the founder of Personal Financial Snapshot which is an online training system that empowers Financial Planners with the tools needed to become a Certified Principled-Based Financial Planner™and help their clients become and remain financially free.

Kyle leads out every month, every year, in terms of production and helping more and more families obtain their personal financial goals. He is a avid reader of books and practice. His tools, techniques, and methodologies come from years of implementing what he preaches, not just what he reads and writes. He’s lives by his principles and teaches those same principles to his clients which in term help them to become and remain financially free. It’s amazing how he inspires clients and advisors to achieve greatness within themselves. This is great leadership in my mind.

Here are some tips to help you become a great leader like my friend Kyle:

1. Set a clear vision and communicate it effectively: Great leaders have a clear vision of what they want to achieve, and they are able to communicate this vision to their team in a way that inspires and motivates them. This includes setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals, and providing regular updates and feedback on progress. Develop strong communication skills: Effective communication is essential for great leaders. This includes being able to listen actively, speak clearly and concisely, and communicate effectively in writing. It also includes being able to adapt your communication style to different audiences and situations.

   I believe that everyone can be a great leader if they put the work into it. I don’t believe anyone is ‘born’ to be a great leader. If you work at it, gain experience leading others, that you can become a leader in any role you are asked to fill.

2. Foster collaboration and teamwork: Great leaders understand the value of teamwork and are able to foster a culture of collaboration and cooperation within their team. This includes building strong relationships, promoting open communication, and encouraging everyone to work together towards a common goal. They are able to communicate their vision, goals, and expectations clearly and effectively to their team, stakeholders, and other important audiences. This includes the ability to listen actively and tailor your communication style to your audience.

3. Empower and delegate effectively: Great leaders understand that they can’t do everything themselves and are able to delegate tasks and responsibilities to their team. This involves empowering team members to make decisions and take ownership of their work, while still providing the guidance and support they need to be successful. Great leaders understand that their success depends on the success of their team. They empower their team members by giving them the authority and responsibility to make decisions and take ownership of their work. This helps to foster a sense of ownership and accountability among team members, which can lead to higher levels of engagement and performance.

4. Build trust and credibility: Great leaders are able to build trust and credibility with their team by being honest, transparent, and reliable. This includes being consistent in your actions, following through on your commitments, and being open to feedback and constructive criticism

5. Take responsibility and be accountable: Great leaders are willing to take responsibility for their actions and the actions of their team. This includes being accountable for their decisions and the outcomes of their team’s work, and being willing to learn from their mistakes and make adjustments as needed. To accomplish this, great leaders set clear goals and expectations for their team, and provide the necessary resources and support to help team members achieve them. This includes establishing performance metrics, providing ongoing feedback and coaching, and holding team members accountable for their performance.

6. Demonstrate empathy and emotional intelligence: Great leaders are able to understand and respond to the emotions of their team members and are able to use this understanding to build strong relationships and create a positive work environment. This includes being able to identify and manage your own emotions, as well as those of others.

7. Foster a positive culture: Great leaders create a positive and inclusive culture that supports and values the diverse perspectives and skills of team members. This includes creating an open and transparent communication environment, recognizing and rewarding contributions, and fostering a sense of trust and respect among team members.

8. Continuously learn and grow: Great leaders are always looking for ways to improve themselves and their team. This includes seeking out new learning opportunities, staying up to date on industry trends, finding and implementing best practices, seeking out opportunities for professional development, and being open to feedback and criticism. They are lifelong learners.

9. Lead by example: Great leaders lead by example and model the behavior and values that they expect from their team. This includes being honest, transparent, and accountable, and demonstrating a strong work ethic and commitment to excellence. Creating a working environment that rewards this type of effort from their team can be inspiring and motivational to teams.

10. Take calculated risks: Great leaders are willing to take calculated risks in pursuit of their vision and goals. They are comfortable with uncertainty and are able to make decisions quickly and confidently, even in the face of uncertainty. Some people just call it a ‘gut feeling’ and I suggest going with it, because you sometimes can’t explain everything you’re feeling but based on your experience, role, and your team, you just think an idea is going to work. So try it. You’ll probably be surprised how often you were right.