Leadership skills are a hunted trait in this era of corporate establishments. Here’s how you can show your leadership skills at work even without a big title.
Donald McGannon once said, “Leadership is not a position or a title, it is action and example.” Regardless of your position, leadership skills are a valuable trait. Portraying leadership at any stage of your career will certainly thrust your leadership career by earning you the big titles.
Most people have a notion that leaders are born, but in fact, as many world and corporate leaders have proven, leaders are made. You can be a shy-introverted person, but still, learn your way through leadership skills. In this post, we’ll discuss tips to show your leadership skills despite not having a leadership role or title.
1. Speak up
The problem most people have is not speaking out about ideas due to insecurities like fear of people or fear of being wrong. At times, the ideas in our heads are actually great but we shy away from speaking up, which is contrary to the trait of leadership.
To improve your leadership skills, speak up more often in meetings by sharing your thoughts, ideas, and solutions to problems raised. This allows people to know your leadership potential as a problem-solver, critical thinker, and risk-taker.
2. Be proactive in leadership initiatives
Another significant leadership skill is taking initiative. If you notice something that needs improvement, like a work submission system or a communication process, you do not have to wait around for another person to notice and make the change. You should take it upon yourself to suggest the change to higher authorities and colleagues.
If you see a more efficient manner of doing things, document it with sufficient data to supplement it, and make a presentation. This will show your proactiveness to the company’s progress and your interest in finding solutions that manage time and resources. If the higher authorities take you up on the suggestion, you should be at the forefront of seeing it through for the accreditation. Such proactiveness shows your superiors and colleagues that you can take the lead and handle further responsibility from your usual role.
3. …But you should not overstep your boundaries
We have established that to show your leadership skills, you should be proactive and take initiative. However, this does not mean you should go rogue and spearhead projects or make changes that are above you. Overstepping your boundaries could cause you problems with your superiors and disdain from your colleagues.
Before you take on any leadership initiatives, you should consult your superiors accordingly. A good leader must first know how to follow. In your ambition, you should bear in mind the current position and title that you hold, then work towards motivating your superiors to promote you and your peers to vouch for you.
4. Make effort behind the scenes
Any competent leader will tell you that leadership has two angles. The first is the visible one which entails leading meetings and spearheading projects. While the second is the unseen but crucial work of constant research and learning how to keep your institution in positive progress.
There is a reading in the leading. Pun aside, leadership entails constant research to improve critical thinking, gain perspective on solving problems, and weigh risk-taking and decision-making. To boost your leadership skills, you need to study various content on these issues and keep up with current events in your work industry. With this, those within earshot recognize that you pay attention to the things that matter the most.
5. Establish your leadership by leading up
Given that you have no title, it means you are probably in a junior position in the hierarchy. This means that it can be a bit hard to show your leadership skills and establish yourself in your current role. However, you need to learn how to lead up. This means that you do not need to have people below your level to serve leadership.
By leading up, you take on a leadership initiative with colleagues who have advanced to their levels, like supervisors and managers. You simply showcase your skills to them and make their jobs easier. Anticipate problems, offer solutions, and think ahead to make yourself stand out to your superiors.
If unsure of how to lead up, ask yourself what skills your superiors need and then master them. If you prefer a team-oriented approach, ask yourself what additions could make your department more productive, effective, and profitable then master it. Leading up from a junior level is about showing yourself off to superiors for consideration in future management roles.
Final word
Leadership skills are a hunted trait in this era of corporate establishments. Superiors in an establishment are keen on identifying the next person to give a position role. They look for the most competent junior who can handle big responsibilities and keep the institution afloat. As earlier mentioned, leadership skills can be learned. You can establish yourself as having leadership skills with the discussed tips and get upgraded in position and title.
