Five Tips for Effective Leadership at Work

Being a leader is a state of mind. It doesn't matter if you are an executive, a manager or just a cog in the machine, one should always strive to lead others and inspire greatness.

Below, I'll describe a few of the key strategies I learned to implement early on to lead throughout both my academic and professional careers.

1. Integrate with the group.

You can't be a leader if you stand alone. A true captain must belong to its crew and show interest in them at the personal level from the beginning. As a recent immigrant, I can tell you from personal experience that integrating successfully involves crafting a deep emotional connection with others, one that goes beyond the defined roles in a position.

2. Encourage the talent in others.

All ambitious workers have one thing in common: their desire to grow professionally and develop their abilities. Recognizing the talent in others is an essential step towards efficiency. Make sure to encourage others to keep learning and developing their biggest strengths.

3. Be a motivation for change.

People are afraid of the unknown, which is one of the reasons why some will fight tooth and nail to keep the status quo. It also has something to do with being comfortable. This alone led to the downfall of many former corporate giants such as Kodak or Blockbuster, two companies that could not or would not embrace change paid dearly for it. On a smaller scale, we must always foster positive change and, why not, take a few risks. How would the world look if Steve Jobs hadn't dared to think different?

4. Coordinate people, don't command them.

Real and effective leadership involves getting the best from others, inspiring them to succeed and motivating them to go further. It does not involve treating them like machines. Barking orders at others may work at first, but the only way to ensure long-term success is to get everyone to behind the same goals.

5. Be ready for feedback

As a leader, always try to stay away from yes-man. Talented individuals with true concern for their work will always welcome honest feedback and constructive criticism above comfortable lies.