Who are the people who:
- Stand out from the crowd (In a positive way)?
- Achieve career advancement at work (Promotions, raises, recognition)?
- Find ways to consistently grow their business?
- Get re-hired
- Are frequently asked to write, speak, or teach at major events?
Give up? The answer: Leaders
Leadership has been defined as a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task. Not a bad idea right?
Want to make more money, raise more money, gain a little prestige, get hired—all it takes is a little leadership.
Great...but how do I develop myself as a leader? I’m an introvert and overlooked and don’t have any letters after my name...
Don’t you worry about any of that stuff.
Adopt new technologies:
- The first few people on the new frontier get all the spoils (and get to share them with their friends).
- Find new ways to become more efficient in your work and share your methods with your coworkers, colleagues, or friends.
- Read up on the latest cutting edge technologies, learn to use those technologies, and once the masses begin to utilize them; you’ll be able to start sharing or even selling your “expert” knowledge in this field.
ABH:
- You’ve heard “Always Be Selling,” but I’d like to expand and say “Always Be Helping.” Your empathy and humanity should be a selling point, or part of the equation to help find a solution to someone’s problem. If there’s a point where you decide to create a product or business and derive an income from it; you’ll have already gained a reputation as a likable and trustworthy person and your audience will have an easier time deciding whether to buy from you. This process also works if you want a promotion or raise from your boss, and if you’re an actor looking to get called in regularly by that up and coming casting director.
Create:
- Create a product, a piece of art, or an experience.
- If you’re creating you’re not sitting around waiting. You’re looking to improve your skills within your field and you’re looking to have a better relationship with your target market. You’re grabbing the bull by the horns. Product creation is as big a deal for intra-praneurs (entrepreneurs working as employees within a corporation they don’t own) as it is for business owners or entrepreneurs.
- If you’re creating art, you’re not waiting for your agent or Steven Spielberg to call. Learn to make something and learn to sell it. Other people within the arts want to do the same thing (so they don’t have to work in a restaurant to afford their health insurance) and if they know you’ve succeeded in what they want; they might hire you to give them the answer or start telling other people about you and how great you are.
- Creating an experience is something just about anyone can do. If your office is full of people who don’t get along you can be the one who bucks the trend. You can make a conscious effort to create a wonderful customer service experience for your clients. Treat them with respect. Return their calls promptly. Ask them about themselves and how they’re benefiting from using your product or services. Thank them for their business.
Put Your Ego in Check
- Good leaders know when it’s time to rally the troops and when it’s time let someone else take command. Sometimes a good leader recognizes someone else’s burgeoning leadership skills, allows them to take charge, and takes on a the role of sidekick. Leadership means you let yourself learn from other people—this could be your adversary, the janitor, or your childhood idol.
If you’re tired of being stuck in neutral or tired of hearing the word “no,” then it’s time to put in some personal development hours to become a more effective leader. Once you decide to take action, the change is not going to happen overnight. You water the seeds of leadership in your garden every day, nurture them, and give them the time they need to grow. Do this and one day soon your seeds will turn into juicy and delicious fruit that will be absolutely irresistible to the masses.
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