Leadership

What a Leader Should Have and Develop

Every country has a leader. Every company has a leader. There are groups that have a leader. What do I think a leader should have?

There are aspects leaders should have. And there are aspects leaders should develop during their period of leading the country, a company, or a group.

A leader is someone who leads the country. A leader is there for their citizens in every situation that happens. The leader must listen to their citizens. A leader is someone who leads a company. A leader is there for their employees and the staff members. A leader is someone who leads a group. A leader is there for those members of the group.

The small country I’m living in is not compatible with how big America is. But both have leaders. Shell is bigger than the library in the closest big city. But both have leaders. The national supermarket chain is large, but the local clothing store is small. But both have a leader. All have different kinds of leaders with their own quality. Unique with skills we can learn from.

People change. Situations change. Time change. This leader must listen and act to it immediately to each situation. The leader must act quickly on what is happening in a situation.

When the Prime Minister acts immediately to a situation happening in the country, then this is a good leader. For example, a pandemic comes into the country, such as CoVid-19, then it is the task to shut down the country or takes other measurements that are needed. There is a reaction needed immediately from Prime Minister. When a leader doesn’t do that, the leader is not leading towards the community — it's country. When he or she does it, the leader is a leader.

Your employee is ill and must stay home for weeks to get better, as a leader of your company or group, you must call your employee, send a card, tell other employees about her illness (of course with the permission of the employee that is ill) and send her a basket of fruit with flowers to let him or her know you think about her as well as the colleagues do.

The leader of the small group leads small departments, a board, a book club, a music group or anything like that. You must decide what the programme will be, you must talk about concerts, books you’ll read in the future, what you’ll do with the club during in the future, you must decide — together with the other members of the board the road into the future of the club.

What is a good leader

This is just my opinion of what I think a good leader is: for a country, for a small or big company, and for a (small) group.

• A good leader must know anything — not everything — about a lot of topics. I believe a good leader must know a little bit about every department in the company and about any topic you can name. It is not only for the daily conversation you have with your employees but also to play in situations the company deals with. This is very helpful to close the deals with different partners and your staff members.
• A good leader must be capable of actualizing topics that people need to talk about what is going on at the moment. When you’re a leader you are able to see what is going on in the world to actualize the deals, situations at work or anyhow. If the boss of Shell doesn't play on the needs of their customer, they will lose money as their customers go to different gas stations.
• A good leader must talk to his or her employees. I believe when a leader talks to employees, he will know what is going on in their lives. The leader shouldn’t be involved in detail, but knowing a little bit about them doesn't hurt. As a leader, you’ll know what skills your employees have and what their abilities are. You will be more attentive too.
• A good leader must act quickly with things happening in the country or the world that have an effect on his or her employees. When things in the country happen — this year CoVid-19 — you have to think quickly about solutions for your company, group or country. Then you walk in from of the row and maybe you’ll be the leader of a bigger group. You have thought about solutions before others did and they follow your lead (you know it already).
• A good leader knows something about his or her employees and asks how they’re doing. When you know a little bit about your employees or group members, with whom you work towards the goals of the project, you know which skills from which employee you can use for reaching those goals.

A good leader can’t do everything, but during their leadership, the leader could learn on the road as well. When your employees see you’re learning too on your road as a leader, they will follow your lead as well. You’re the example anyway.

Developing skills

I also believe a leader could develop skills during his or her leadership. This helps him or her to be a better leader. It is not possible to be the best leader as there are so many different leaders. But I know you can develop on the road of where the leader is right now. He or she is a newbie in the world of leadership and should also learn more.

Things I will see that a leader could develop on the road of the succession of his or her leadership:

Mentoring your employees or group members

Mentoring your employees or group members is also a way to get to know them when working together. You know how they will work, but you also know what kind of people you have in your company. Not to forget that you learn who they are as a person. Mentoring is asking them questions about topics they should use for work on the projects and how they could handle situations or tasks.

Speaking in public

Speaking in public is telling your employees during the monthly Friday evening party the companies or department’s achievements. What you — as a whole company or department — can do better and how you think you could do it.

When you’re not such a public speaker, you can learn this by just doing it. What helps is practising it a hundred times in front of your family and friends before the big day. Writing down notes what you want to say helpt too.

Speeching and writing speeches

Speeching is similar to speaking in public. But speeching in public is giving your thoughts on a topic you know a lot about. The audience is larger than speaking in public. It is more formal than speaking in public. Speeching in public is telling your opinion about a certain topic you know a lot about.

Writing down your speeching helps you get through it and you’ll definitely know what you want and what you need to say to the audience. You’ll not forget what you want to say and the message will reach your audience.

If you’re really nervous, there will be exercises to do and practise it. It is just doing it and it is important not to forget to breathe.

Checking in on your employees or group members

Another important skill you can develop during your leadership is checking on your employees. No, not only asking how they're doing today but also ask how her husband did during his operation he got last week, also ask him how his football match was last night and tell you’re employees you’re proud of them working hard on that specific project.

When your employees mention a few things to you, don’t forget to add it to the daily conversations. Give people time if they had problems privately.

There will be probably more skills you can develop as a leader, but this is what I believe a leader should have and develop.