People often have preconceived ideas of what a leader looks like, how a leader acts and speaks, and everything else that comes with the package. Do leadership roles belong only to a select few, or are they up for grabs to anyone? Essentially, it is a combination of both. No one holds the monopoly of leadership, but it will usually fall on the hands of those who measure up.
So what will it take for one to become that influential leader at work that all else cannot help but follow?
One person who strongly believes that communication is a key factor to becoming an influential leader at work is Alan Paperny, who holds an impressive career in the legal world and has brought inspiration to many. Paperny is a Chief Legal Officer with nearly two decades of experience in leading a broad range of legal functions for organizations across a range of industries. According to Paperny and other experts, the following qualities are critical aspects of becoming a powerful and influential leader at your workplace.
Inspiring Attitude
True leaders are able to motivate followers with an attitude that inspires the people around them to do better. It is about taking responsibility for the mistakes and failures of the group, and using them to find solutions and accomplish goals. A leader finds the cause of the problem, but will not concentrate on pointing fingers regarding who is at fault. Instead, they use this information to steer the group to success.
While leaders do not settle for mediocrity, they are quick to recognize limitations and work from there. A positive attitude emanating from one person will draw others to listen and follow. Confidence is inspired among followers when they see that the leader is willing to listen and consider all the possible angles that will prove beneficial to the common purpose.
Unparalleled Commitment
A leader does not abandon ship at the first sign of trouble. On the contrary, he or she stays on and holds the wheel to bring it to safety or “perish with it.” Perishing with the group’s failure is a bit of an exaggeration when applied to the work environment scenario; however, the essence of “never abandoning ship” until everyone has been brought to safety is certainly there.
Followers will need someone to emulate, and that person must lead by example. This includes not being afraid to work side-by-side with the group while maintaining at least one step ahead to effectively lead. The measure of commitment is not only calculated with physical work, but likewise in honoring promises and commitments that were made to the group.
Effective Communication
As Alan Paperny explains, “It’s really important to be a great communicator, to have the ability to communicate not just to the executive team or to your second in command, but to be able to communicate and relate to people who are five or six rungs below you in the corporate chain. There are very few leaders who aren’t great communicators.”
A person may have excellent ideas in his head or the best intentions at heart, but unless that individual is able to effectively communicate what is necessary to lead the group, he or she will never be a good leader. The leader needs to connect not only to the people next in line, but all the way down to the people who will make things actually happen.
“You need to be accessible to be an influential leader,” Paperny adds. “This means not only to the senior leadership, but also to everyone in the company. People at the company need to feel that this person has their best interests at heart.”
If you are eyeing a leadership position in your company, make sure that you truly have the attitude and commitment required. More than that, you need to be able to bring your message across clearly to your colleagues in order to effectively get the job done.
Originally posted on July 22, 2014 @ 2:15 am