Tag: professional development

How to Lead Unwilling Followers to Success

On May 16, 2017

There are many ways to lead followers to success. Depending on your line of work or the reason you are leading a group of followers, will determine what type of leadership style you are going to take on. Some consider there to be good leadership styles and some consider other styles to be bad and not beneficial for anyone involved. Regardless of style, how do you make someone follow you when they are not willing to?

One of the first things that needs to be done is to get down to the level of the follower and determine why they are unwilling in the first place. Does the follower not agree with the way you are leading them? Are there other external factors that are taking them in a different direction than you would like?

According to Dr. Karen Keller, a clinical psychologist, there are about five common reasons for your employees to not follow you: being frustrated with how they are being treated, feeling rejected, unsupported or misunderstood, feeling scared, angry, or powerless, possibly they are experiencing personal problems, and lastly that they are impatient.

How do you combat these issues from happening or continuing to happen? Everyone has a different way of connecting with their followers and getting them to trust you; this guide will show you some of the more common and effective ways to take control of your followers.

Lead with passion.

Followers want to be lead in the right direction. But they aren’t just going to follow anyone that comes through the door. They want to be certain that their leader understands and is passionate about the work that they are doing. If a leader shows passion for their work, it will in turn rub off on the followers, who will hopefully become passionate about the work as well.

Take a stand.

While it is important to be mindful of the your followers and hear their requests and their ideas for improval. Followers don’t want a leader who is going to fold under pressure or have their mind changed all of the time. They want and need a leader who is going to hear them out, but ultimately take a stand and make the decision that is best for them.

Lead by doing.

The worst thing a leader can do is bark orders at their followers, without either showing them what they are doing or doing the task with them. Unwilling followers need to be shown why they need to do something rather than just being told to do it in the first place. A common saying is that a boss will shout orders from the back, while a leader will be at the front showing the followers the way to success.

Be Trustworthy.

Lastly, and one of the more important ways to get a reluctant to follower to be on your side, is to be trustworthy. It’s possible that the reason they are resisting your leadership in the first place is because they have experienced leaders who were dishonest with them in the past. Being trustworthy and following your word is the best way to gain your followers trust, which will in turn have them follow you willingly and passionately.

How To Develop A Leader

By Nicole Monturo

On April 1, 2017

In Leadership, Nicole Monturo

Contrary to the common idea that people are “born leaders,” many who hold leadership roles needed some kind of support prior to being given their role. There may be no secret formula to magically make a person become a strong figurehead of a business or group, however, there are practices best suited to help develop an individual into a leadership role.

Communications and Networking

Regardless of whether one is leading a company or a sports team, a good leader must possess excellent communication skills. Having the ability to express a single idea to a large group of people can pose a challenge. A successful leader knows their audience and best practices for effectively communicating the message across the board.

The ability to network is also a key component of what constitutes a strong leader. Having the confidence to approach strangers in any scenario benefits not only the leaders but the group they oversee.

A contributor for Forbes shared their experience attending networking events, stating though boring at times, they ultimately benefit others in the future.When coaching a team member to fill a leadership role, networking remains a fundamental skill to teach.

Experience

The transition of power between one leader to an emerging one can be done in various degrees of success. Ideally, the veteran leader takes the time and energy to support his replacement:

this may include a variety of tasks and training to make sure they are adequately equipped to properly fill the role.

Here, experience comes into play. By providing them with a vast amount of experiences in many different areas as gives the trainee the best chance to succeed. Alongside experience, having knowledge of the ins and outs of the entire organization also benefits a new leader, as they are able to sufficiently assist in all areas required.

A great deal of knowledge regarding leadership can arise from participating in training sessions. There is a large assortment of training styles from online sessions to exercises that can take place right in the office. Some companies provide an in-house training course, while other outsource and send team members to an off-site assembly. The Muse provides a few examples of training courses to participate in during free time. Consequently, being proactive and completing such courses shows a superior a possession of motivation and determination. Both are examples of great leadership qualities.

Challenges

As any supervisor in any field would share, overseeing a group of people likely presents challenges on a regular basis. Knowing how and when to handle obstacles is an important skill a leader should possess. As a current leader, looking for ways to challenge future leaders is a great way to put their potential to the test. Creating intricate problem-solving scenarios and only assisting when absolutely necessary creates a great challenge. Allowing an up and coming leader to oversee and complete a project from start to finish gives them the motivation to prove their competence.

Being a natural leader is definitely not a trait all people are born with, and becoming a great leader takes effort. Having the ability to communicate effectively and network elegantly are strong stepping stones on the path to success. Paired with Not only does a great deal of experience help to prepare upcoming leaders, but facing them with challenges along the way ensures building of confidence and readiness to take on a leadership role.