Leadership Tip #1

I have been involved in leadership and management positions all my adult life. I became fascinated by what qualities go into making a good leader very early in my career. I have read thousands of books and papers on the subject and had the privilege of discussing the subject with some of the best leaders of our time. I wrote a book on the subject and have taught leadership in college. I still participate in seminars and give annual lectures at both Chapman University and UCLA.

One question I am frequently asked is: “What is the most important thing that goes into making a leader?”

The answer is simple. While there are countless things you will need to learn, the first and most important is to "Be Nice".

Don’t misunderstand me. As a leader you must be firm, consistent, unyielding in correction or reproof of misconduct and demanding of good performance. But, to be a leader, a person that people look to for example and guidance and that people are not only willing to follow, but so do because they want too, you need to be nice.

Keep a smile on your face, even under stress. Know every employee, or workers, name and use it frequently (People subconsciously love to hear their name spoken and respond positively to it). Don’t yell or raise your voice louder than what is necessary to be heard. Keep your temper under control. Be careful about how and what you say to people. Remember, a fat girl doesn’t need to be reminded she’s fat. She knows it and not mentioning it or calling attention to it will be appreciated.

Never use derogatory and humiliating language or names. Sarcasm can be funny and used to make people laugh (useful when lowering stress), but don’t use it at anyone’s expense. The butt of a sarcastic comment will resent it and remember it -and just as importantly, others will notice it too and will either resent it or emulate it.

Being nice means using words like “please” and “thank you” frequently. It means recognizing effort and good performance publicly. It means going out of your way to help resolve problems your people may be experiencing.

So, my tip to you, if you want to be a real leader, is to learn to be nice.

Live Long and Prosper...