12 ways to strengthen leadership

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Some people seem born with “it” – the elusive factor that makes people stand out from the crowd. To most of us, however, charisma (Greek for gift) and leadership don’t come naturally.

In my consulting business, I’ve watched different types of people and personalities develop into really good leaders. And what I’ve observed is that those who succeed in transitioning from manager to leader share similar traits: they are not afraid to challenge the status quo, they think beyond what’s possible and they are never satisfied unless they learn and achieve something new every day.

Healthy businesses need both great managers and great leaders. If you are empowering others to lead or seek to strengthen your own leadership, these 12 things can guide you:

1. Seek to understand the many moving parts of your company and make decisions that benefit the whole organization.

2. Let go of “hero management.” Hire, train and empower your people to solve problems and become leaders within their own departments.

Read the full list of 12 ways to strengthen leaders in the April issue here.