3 Mindful Tips To Help You Become A Better Leader In Life

There can be many unexpected ups and downs within leadership and spearheading a team. Being a leader can be a thrilling experience as you learn about yourself and the people that you lead – one of the best parts of the journey is seeing how much everyone has transformed to become better versions of themselves.

However, there are times when you may feel stuck in your life or career, and you feel like you may not be making as much progress as you want to. The dreaded imposter syndrome may even kick in, tricking you into thinking that you are not as good a leader, which may hinder you even more.

The leadership journey is a learning process, and you do not have to get everything right on the first try. Instead, you should take the time to evaluate yourself to work towards the goals you have set. Here are some great tips to help you with this.

1. Show empathy towards others

Holding the top position requires you to see things from many different perspectives. Working in an environment where you don’t feel understood may be difficult, so putting yourself in your team members’ shoes can be a great start.

People appreciate it when the person in charge can understand and empathise with them. According to a study by Catalyst^[1], 86% of people felt that they could better manage their work and life commitments when they had a leader that showed more understanding of what they were going through. 61% of participants also felt that they were more likely to be more innovative at work.

Displaying empathy is a great way to show you are genuine in providing help and support, and your teammates will find it easier to approach you. Your teammates would then feel that you are a capable person who is deserving of respect and holds the ability to be an inspiring role model for everyone.

2. Stand firm in the face of adversity

As a leader, many people tend to depend on you for assurance and support when problems arise. Having to support so many members at once, you may have the impulse to bottle up your stress – we are only human, after all. Instead, you should learn healthy ways of handling unexpected outcomes and still be the stable rock that grounds your team.

You should make the best out of every situation by looking at it from all angles and pointing out the things that could have been executed better to know how your team can improve in the future. This method would be more productive than pushing the blame from one person to the next; otherwise, feelings may get unnecessarily hurt, and you might lose respect from your teammates.

Learning how to accept setbacks may be challenging, but it is something you should do to be a competent leader. Your team members are less likely to focus on your mistakes when you respond well and learn from them. Picking yourself back up when you fall allows you to become a stronger leader.

3. Understand your leadership style

Every individual has their leadership style, and it may require some trial and error to understand it better. Knowing what works best for you can allow you to bring out the best in yourself and use your skills to their fullest potential.

Inevitably, your leadership style may not be for everyone, so it is important to find out how you lead others. For example, a study^[2] has shown that 79% of workers quit due to feeling unappreciated; if you are too much of a bureaucratic leader, some may find that you restrict their creativity and are not appreciative enough.

Zooming into your methods or habits can help you identify the good and the bad, greatly helping you avoid the pitfalls of ineffective leadership. It may be more tricky to understand yourself without a professional’s help, so A BestOfMe coach can assist you in viewing your strengths, weaknesses and blind spots.

Conclusion

Our tips may just be the stepping stone for developing leaders. Leading others may be daunting, but with empathy, resilience and understanding, you will be able to connect better with your team and perform better as a leader.

BestOfMe offers leadership coaching in Singapore to everyone and anyone to help you unlock your potential and be your best. We provide a personalised experience, all from the comfort of your mobile devices. Whether you are looking to improve your leadership or require executive coaching services, our coaches are ready to help you.

Get started on your personalised coaching journey today and learn more about what we do by requesting a demo.

^[1] Catalyst. (2021, October 21). The Power of Empathy in Times of Crisis and Beyond (Report). Retrieved April 29, 2022, from https://www.catalyst.org/reports/empathy-work-strategy-crisis

^[2] Kizer, K. (2022, January 6). 36 Powerful Leadership Statistics [2022]: Things All Aspiring Leaders Should Know – Zippia. Zippia. Retrieved April 29, 2022, from https://www.zippia.com/advice/leadership-statistics/

Published by BestOfMe Pte Ltd

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