3 Important Steps to Become a Better Leader

“A true leader never stops being a student.”

– Lakeshia Wiliams

I always say that having a title doesn’t make you a leader; having people who follow you makes you a leader. There’s a massive difference between the two! And while the list of qualities a leader “should have” is ever-growing, one that is evergreen is that effective leaders are always learning.

Looking to learn? Here are 3 ways you can become a better leader:

1. Initiate and Respond to Change Intelligently

Why do some people thrive with change and others experience difficulty?

As a leader, you should continuously initiate and respond to change in ways that create competitive advantage, minimize risk, and sustain performance. But how? Consider the three  C’s: 

  • Communication: focus on the “why” of the change instead of the “what” to encourage team members to buy-in.
  • Collaboration: break down barriers and cultivate a team-oriented environment where people can execute change together. 
  • Commitment: model the persistence, positivity,  and adaptability you would like to see from your team. Your behavior speaks louder than your words ever will.

2. Make Decisive and Confident Decisions

If you don’t already have them, you must develop effective decision-making skills and the ability to communicate decisions with confidence.

Whether deciding which candidate to hire, consultant to use, or what strategy to pursue, being able to make the best decision with the information you have is critical for organizations. Communication and leadership style go hand in hand in this capacity and together set the decision-making process in a company. A good way to make the most informed decision is to follow a standard process that ensures you are taking all the relevant information into account and outlining each of the most probable outcomes.

3. Set Clear Goals

They say that failure to prepare means you’re preparing to fail, and this holds true for goal setting. Without a defined path, how can you expect to get where you would like to go? Effective leaders develop clear career goals for themselves and make decisive choices when setting goals for their team that leads to higher employee retention and engagement. 

Here are a few tips for setting clear goals:

  • Be specific with what you want to achieve.
  • Break the goal down into steps.
  • Track and analyze your progress. 
  • Acknowledge your weaknesses and take note of any setbacks.
  • Be accountable for what you want to achieve. 

About Dr. Wilkerson, PD, MBA, PCC.

Do you want to increase your impact? Do you want to increase profits under your leadership? Do you want to develop and use your abilities to the fullest to better connect with and lead others? Executive Leadership Coaching covers these bases. Dr. Jerrund Wilkerson, PD, MBA, PCC, has more than 30 years of successful executive leadership coaching in the United States and internationally.

As a licensed pharmacist, he is particularly passionate about helping develop effective leaders in the healthcare community. Dr. Wilkerson has coached and trained thousands of managers and leaders. He is a certified coach and member of the John Maxwell Leadership Team.

CLICK HERE to learn more.