Social media is awash in manager versus boss memes and ideal leadership infographics. Maybe they make you feel good for a little while because you use them as a checklist when you’re not getting the recognition you deserve. You convince yourself that you are acting more like a leader, and your boss is an ineffective micromanager. The odds are in your favor. Gallup would have us believe up to 51% of American managers have essentially checked out mentally while only 35% are engaged. By their standards, 70% do not have the functional managerial talent to fulfill their role effectively.
So go ahead and smirk in the knowledge that you are among a small handful of the workforce who ‘get it.’ That awareness and 25 cents won’t buy you a cup of coffee, and it sure isn’t going to make you lead better. To improve, you could grab a book and browse another list of leadership principles that a persuasive author and the gatekeepers at a publishing house think you should pay attention too. If you’re up to it, you could wade into academia and see what the latest (or the traditionally regurgitated) studies tell you what qualities the best leaders possess in hindsight. We all know you won’t make time for that, so here are four quick and easy ways to act like a better leader. You can start any of these right away, regardless of your title or circumstance and immediately act like a serious professional.
1. Be on time. You do not look impressive when you walk in late. When you are so busy, racing from one meeting to another appointment you either come across as harried or arrogant. No one is inspired if a meeting is delayed waiting for your arrival, or stopped cold to bring you up to speed. At best, there’s indifference – most people you work with are already disengaged, remember. Being late makes you look like a slob who can’t manage a calendar. Sure, things come up, and there may be unavoidable tardiness. That should be exceedingly rare, not the rule. For those who travel with an entourage, it looks even more stupid. No one they have chosen to surrounded themselves with can read a clock or be persuasive enough to keep a commitment? It’s weak, and any excuse is an advertisement for poor planning on your part. Period.
2. State your intention. Be forthright in what you want or desire from the exchange. If you are going to go through gyrations and play games, you are going to eventually lose. Be clear and concise. Be courageous, if you’re uncertain. If you cannot state what you want or need, you probably haven’t earned it yet. Have an agenda for every meeting. You can scribble it on the back of a takeout menu if you have to, as long as you enter the exchange being clear on your purpose and intent. If you don’t, you will encounter the high probability of traipsing off track. Don’t waste yours or other people’s time and energy.
3. Be empathetic. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Imagine their concerns, fears, apprehensions, or share in their joy. “Don’t be a jerk” is a good rule, but face it, if you are going to be effective and make decisions, someone, somewhere is going to think you are a jerk. Don’t try to manage what other people think. It is not your role, nor is it your business. Seek to understand as best you can, own the consequences, and then move on.
4. Show gratitude. When was the last time you said thank you? Someone made your job easier or caused your day run a little smoother — did you acknowledge them? No, you don’t have to. You can be rude about it and disdainfully say, “it’s their job,” and maybe it is. So what? Are you getting too much praise and encouragement in your life? Why be stingy? Thank people for their effort.
Will these four simple things make you a better leader? Yes.
Does failing to do them make you a lousy leader? Yes.
The choice is yours.