BE A LEADER

WHY FOLLOW A LEADER WHEN YOU CAN BE ONE ?

DUMP TH IDEA THAT LEADERS ARE BORN NOT MADE. HERE AER TIPS WHICH WILL HELP YOU BUILD YOUR LEADERSHIP SKILLS.

Leadership skills can help you get to the top. But how do you develop yours ? Everyone who wants to be a better leader can be. You must want to make a difference and have an idea about how to do it. Otherwise, you are a follower. Leadership can mean swimming against the tide, Are you up for it ?

BE ANTHUSIASTIC

The quality considered most important for leaders is entusiasm, because it's infectious. Good leaders don't tell people to do things, they make want to do them. You also need intergrity, humanity and humility. At times, you must be tough and demanding but always be fair.

NEED FOR PERFORMANCE

Leaders must deliver the goods, so you must be prepaerd to be tough on performance. Being clear and direct about what you want done may mean sacrificing your reputation for always being nice. But don't be aggressive.

DEMANDS POSITIVITY

Be positive and a good communicator, to sell your vision to others. Express your ideas simply and directly through short slogans. Ask your boss for a leadership course or coaching. Don't be put off if you are not yet top brass. Point out to the boss that ever lower level managers need leadership skills if they aer to progress.

DEVELOP YOUR STYLE

Read about the principles of leadership but remember there is no one set of rules to follow. You have to develop your own style. Observe your behavriour and reflect on it later.

STRENGTHEN UP

Assess your strengths and develop them, and help others develop theirs.

Be supportive and empowering . Work out what motivates people to perform and use it to help get the best out of them. Watch existing leaders. Note how you react to their style and work out how they could get better performance out of their followers.

EXPERIENCE COUNTS

Use your observations to boost your performance. Think back to any leadership experience you have had. What did you learn ? Almost half of today's leaders were school prefects, and one in ten were head boy or girl, and one in five captain of a school team. These activities give you skills such as team ethos, ambition and goal setting that we associate with good leadership. Get leadership experience anywhere you can. Be a school governer, sit on a public board or get involved in a community campaign.