Home
Being likable person will help you out in this globalizing world – help you find your ideal job, start your own business, find yourself a good relationships, and help you out in life. I have spoken to many successful leaders and have determined the Top 10 criteria likable and successful leaders have in common. All of the concepts are simple, yet many of us lose sight of the simple things – things that not only make us human, but can actually help us be more successful. Everyone can achieve greatness, but it takes strength and endurance to do it.
1. Listening
“The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people.” – Woodrow Wilson
Listening is the foundation of any good relationship. Great leaders and outstanding businessmen listen to what their customers and prospects say and need and listen to the challenges their customers face. It’s ultimately the customer’s needs that need to be met. If a leader cannot understand or is not willing to listen, he will not succeed in his endeavors.
Customers are not the only ones important; colleagues’ input is as relevant. Being open to new ideas makes a leader more likable and successful -charismatic in other words. Any colleague who knows they can rely on their leader will be more willing to work and will be more open.
2. Storytelling
After listening, it is important for leaders to tell or retell great stories in order for them to sell their products, but more important, in order to market across their ideas. Storytelling is what captivates people and drives them to act, just like Mr. Peterman on Seinfeld. Whether you’re telling a story to one prospect over lunch, a boardroom full of people, or hundreds of people in a conference room - storytelling wins over your followers and customers.
3. Authenticity
Great leaders are who they say they are, and they have integrity beyond compare. Vulnerability and humility are hallmarks of the authentic leader and create a positive, attractive energy. Customers, employees, and media all want to help an authentic person to succeed. There used to be a divide between one’s public self and private self, but the social internet has blurred that line. Tomorrow’s leaders are transparent about who they are online, merging their personal and professional lives together.
4. Empowerment
The project leaders should think of the strategies as a learning process; with an understanding of what they can do best. It is as important to invite others into the strategy process too. To empower people, the leader has to touch the positive side of people’s emotional energy. He/she should be clear about his/her goals but will also be willing to allow the development of other people around him. The idea is that a tremendous amount to energy will be released into the organization, which allows the leader to achieve more than intended. This process is called: human capital development.
5. Team Work
No matter how small your business is, you interact with others every day. Letting others shine, encouraging others to bring in innovative ideas, practicing humility, and following other rules for working in teams will help you become a better and more likeable leader – charisma all the way. You will need to set culture of success within your organization, one that includes out-of-the-box thinking, especially amongst your employees.
6. Honesty
“When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that your name is safe in their mouth.” – Jess C. Scott
Whatever ethical plane you hold yourself to, when you are responsible for a team of people, it’s imperative that you raise the bar even higher. Your business and its employees are a reflection of you and your role model skills, and if you make honest and ethical behavior a key value, your team will honorably follow suit.
7. Adaptability
“When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.” -Ben Franklin
There has never been a faster-changing marketplace than the one we live in today. Leaders must be flexible in managing changing opportunities and challenges and nimble enough to pivot at the right moment. Stubbornness is no longer desirable to most organizations. Instead, humility and the willingness to adapt mark a great leader.
8. Confidence:
There may be days where your brand is worrisome and things are not exactly going as planed. This is true with any business, large or small, and the most important thing is not to panic. Part of your job as a leader is to put out fires and attain and maintain the team morale. Keep up your confidence level, and assure everyone that setbacks are a natural part of life and the important thing is to focus on the larger goal: success. As the leader, by staying calm and confident, you will help keep the team feeling the same.
9. Charisma
“A true leader always keeps an element of surprise up his sleeve, which others cannot grasp but which keeps his public excited and breathless.” -Charles de Gaulle
You have some influence on your employees. In other words, you have to find an indeterminacy between Donald Trump and Steve Jobs. You need to be blunt, at times, like Trump, but you need to be at the same time likable as Steve Jobs was. It’s hard, but it can be easily done.
10. Ignite Passion
Passionate leaders spread passion to others through their love of life, doing new things, taking risks, being motivated, having a sense of urgency, and reinventing self. Passionate people are optimistic, have a great story to tell and involve others in their decision making, and have a simple, recharge strategy that anyone can follow.
If you have any other simple skills you feel a leader should have, be sure to post it on our comments section and we’ll happily consider your ideas. We are a blog written for the fans by the fans.
