Articles of PD
WHY AND HOW TO DEVELOP STRONG LEADERSHIP SKILLS TO BECOME AN OFFICER IN DEFENCE FORCES
Nobody in this world is a born leader. For those who claim to be, they might have the traits, but not the skills. Leadership skills need to be developed and the earlier you work at it, the better. However, for the late comers, it’s never too late.
In this article, I will make you understand on why and how to develop strong leadership skills.
Why?
Successful management is not just about assigning tasks to the team but, to achieve them as well. It’s more about inspiring your team members and help them achieve their potential. And you can only inspire them if they respect you. And to be respected, you must develop good leadership skills.
How?
1. Ask for feedback: don’t just blindly think that you’re a good leader. At all intervals, ask for feedback. Doing so will help you in a big way. Based on feedback from others, you can understand your skills better and you will know what changes to be made.
2. Pay attention: there is a vast difference between hearing and listening. Always listen carefully to what your team members are saying. Whether it’s their problems or suggestions think of them as your own and listen. And then accordingly give your empathies or suggestions to them.
3. Communicate: a good leader must know to communicate well. Make sure that you are heard well. It is important that you’re tone of speaking is positive and motivating.
4. Respect your team members: a fundamental part of developing leadership skills is to learn to respect your team’s potential. Give them a chance to take decisions on certain issues. And when you trust them, do it completely.
5. Mean what you say: here’s a simple example; if you stress a lot on punctuality to your team members, then make sure that you’re punctual yourself first, when it comes to deadines or any other important thing. Don’t just preach, rather practice it as well.
6. Allocate leadership: leadership should not be all about you. Make sure that you distribute tasks evenly among your team members. Give them also a chance to explore and learn by themselves. There is no way better than involving more people in the leadership process.
7. Evaluate your success with that of the team: when in a team, success is not all about you. You should be responsible enough to ensure that along with you, your team is also developing. Help them in building their skills as this will enhance motivation and team performance.