Last week, I provided a list of things that a person should be doing in order to truly L.E.A.D. Here is Part 2 using the same acronym (L.E.A.D.)

Listen. True leaders are always listening. They know how important it is to keep an open ear to the members of their teams. Furthermore, they know HOW to listen properly – they realize that most times, it’s wiser to not actually say too much. Great leaders know how to read body language and also read between the lines by analyzing both verbal and non-verbal communication. In order to be a great leader, you have to become an expert at listening.

Encourage and Empower. True leaders know how to encourage and empower their team members. They are keenly aware that their team members have ambitions, goals, dreams, and aspirations of their own. They are not threatened by these things. Rather, they find ways to relate to and support them. You must learn to encourage your teams to get better if you want to be an effective leader.  Team members should also be empowered to make decisions on their own.  Leaders must work to cultivate trust and confidence between themselves and their direct reports.  Leaders must empower their teams to get the job done.

Aspire. True leaders must also have goals and ambitions of their own. They must aspire to become great. It is important for leaders to understand and accept that they don’t already know everything. There is always room to improve. There is always a reason to learn more. Personal and professional aspirations are the hallmarks of great leaders.

Delegate. True leaders delegate. They know they can’t possibly do everything themselves without burning out. They don’t sweat the small stuff to the point that they lose focus on the big picture. They identify the best-performing team members and learn to rely on their performers with the highest potential to assist them with their duties. If you’re not delegating, you’re not really leading.

What are some other things that true leaders do? Comment below to get the conversation started.

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