How to Be a Better Leader

By Amanda Da Silva, B.Hkin, B.Ed, and M.Ed

5-minute read

"Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others." -Jack Welch

Are you a leader?

Chances are you actually are a leader, even if you think you aren't.

John Quincy Adams once said, "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader!"

Looking at this picture, it’s not possible to tell who the leader of the group is. But you can be sure that there is one. Leaders are everywhere: in your family, your work, your clubs, online, at your place of worship. You are probably a leader, eve… — Looking at this picture, it’s not possible to tell who the leader of the group is. But you can be sure that there is one. Leaders are everywhere: in your family, your work, your clubs, online, at your place of worship. You are probably a leader, even if you don’t realize it. | photo from unsplash

My Top 3 Secrets of Better Leadership ⤵

Watch the Video ⤴

More Than One Type of Leader

Leadership roles cover many areas.

Not all have fancy titles or are given accolades. Leaders provide a path to action and innovation. You might find yourself in a myriad of different roles in this lifetime as a leader: as a parent, an employer, a coach/sports leadership, managing clients and projects, running church groups, volunteering for non-profit associations, or even recognizing and finding solutions to workplace problems.

Leaders have that innate ability to help, and they jump in to do just that!

Does everyone need to be a leader?

We know not everyone has the desire to lead. But to lead simply means to have at least one follower.

To lead simply means to have at least one follower.

If you have just one person who follows your lead, then YOU are a leader.

Whether you're an intentional or accidental leader, learning how to become better in that role will prove beneficial to you and those you lead.

I have 3 leadership secrets that I've found particularly relevant in my professional and personal life that I'd love to share with you.

But first, why listen to me?

I've been a leader since I was in high school where I was the captain of all sports teams I joined. I became a school teacher, where I lead programs and coached athletic teams into champion winners. I did fundraising, became a principal, and most recently was CEO of an independent school that was on the brink of financial ruin. Through years of leadership, I've worked with thousands of people, helping them become the best versions of themselves. I've learned a lot about leadership through experience, trial and error.

So, here's three essential elements to cultivating exceptional leadership abilities.

**#1) Leadership isn’t about you!**

Secret to Success: It’s Not About You

Being a better leader requires you to understand that it's not about you!

To be an effective leader does not mean you need to hold a fancy title. Being a good leader means having the ability to see the best in others' and communicate others' worth so clearly that they are inspired to see it in themselves.

Sit with that for a moment.

I know a great leader has an impeccable focus on important goals. A great leader realizes that anything is possible with the direct support of others. But to enlist others, we must not make ourselves the central focus.

A humble leader values others' worth. She praises them to greatness, and realizes, as Gandhi put it, that "a sign of a good leader is not how many followers you have but how many leaders you create!"

When you pour into the lives of others and lift people up by breathing belief into them, they grow and become better, and so do you! So, remember this first point, not everything is about you.

#2) As a leader you have to try, fail, and try again!

Secret to Success: Try, Fail, Try Again

Have you ever given up when something doesn't go your way?

Most of us have. Maybe you've felt frustrated when something doesn't turn out perfectly the first time 'round?

Alexander Graham Bell, known as the father of the telephone, is a perfect example of a person who made plenty of mistakes but saw them as an opportunity to learn. He taught us through the story of his trials and tribulations to embrace the necessity of failure, knowing that it is an inevitable part of life. Although ahead of their time, many of Bell's prior inventions were not as successful as the telephone.

When we prepare ourselves with the grace to accept failure when it happens, we can persist without dejection or frustration, knowing that it is part of the learning process.

Remember that when you fail, you are not the failure—it does not define YOU or make you less worthy. As you experience more success, that just means there have been more failures you've dealt with in the past!

In the famous words of Winston Churchill, be reminded to "...Never, Never, Never, Never give up."

If you experience failure while jumping out of a plane, it might be the end of life as you know it. But for most things we face in life, failure just means picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, and getting back in the game. Failure is a fact of… — If you experience failure while jumping out of a plane, it might be the end of life as you know it. But for most things we face in life, failure just means picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, and getting back in the game. Failure is a fact of life that we often build up to be scarier than it really is. | photo from unsplash

#3) Invest in yourself even if no one else is!

Secret to Success: Knowledge is Power

More specifically, knowledge combined with action is power.

Surrounding yourself with people who have similar interests is powerful. Investing in knowledge and personal growth is the greatest gift you can give to yourself.

It is one thing that no one can take from you!

These are some ways you can invest in yourself to be a better leader:

learn from books and podcasts
attend seminars within your field of study
take online courses
join mastermind groups
volunteer for an organization you wish to learn more about or contribute to
work with a coach or mentor

Another way to invest in yourself is to surround yourself with people who have done what you wish to accomplish.

Successful people ensure that their inner circle of friends and mentors have similar beliefs and values. Having a close relationship with people who want to help you level up, or act as mentors and cheerleaders is an investment in yourself in more ways than one.

If you do not have a supportive network—create one today! This is one way to invest in yourself. When you know that you have a great group of people who will encourage you to become a better leader, you become unstoppable.

We are the sum of the people we surround ourselves with — so who’s in your corner? Make sure you invest time and energy in being surrounded by people who lift you up. | photo from unsplash

Summary:

To be a better leader, first, take the focus off of yourself!
Work diligently to develop other leaders and pull people up.
Keep pushing towards your goals even when failure strikes, and dust yourself off to get up and try again.
Invest in yourself even when no-one else is.

In doing so, you will become a better leader while achieving your obsession for excellence naturally as a byproduct! Not only will you feel good about yourself as you work to be a better leader, but you will also help others achieve their goals and dreams in the process.

A great leader knows how to create win-win results!

The world needs your encouragement, so lead by example.

Are You Ready for a Big Transformation?

If you aspire to be a better leader in your work, business, or community join my group coaching program.

You might be playing a smaller game than is necessary to achieve your biggest goals and dreams.

This is usually because your mindset hasn’t caught up to your goals and dreams. Or you might have values that actually don’t align with your goals. Maybe you need a total reset.

If you find that you’re busy working, but aren’t necessarily making the progress you’d love to see, then group coaching will help you get unstuck, so you can stop spinning your wheels and start making an impact.

Get prepared for the next stage in your life. Everything has changed. What’s your next step?

10 WEEK GROUP LIFE COACHING PROGRAM
5 Sessions | October 7th to December 2nd, 2020
Wednesdays at 7 p.m. PST via Zoom

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