6 Quick Tips on Leadership

Every organization must have both well-developed management and leadership capabilities. A couple of quick definitions:

Management – Managers manage processes.

The goal of management is to increase the productivity and competence of the team so that your processes are more effective, predictable, and reliable.

Leadership – Leaders lead people.

The goal of leadership is to inspire passion and focus of the team so that you consistently deliver on your vision, mission, and purpose.

Here are 6 quick tips on how to engage as a leader and grow both passion and focus within your team.

1. TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE: Leaders think about the future and help others see the future. Leaders teach people to dream, not just execute the company vision to purpose for taking action today.
   
2. TEACH SOMEONE SOMETHING: Leaders are involved in their organization and committed to growing organizational capability. Nothing sends that signal stronger than taking a moment to teach something to someone.
   
3. SEEK OUT A NEW IDEA: Actively look for ideas and then champion them in the organization. This says a lot about your ability to accept change as a leader.  Leaders aren’t afraid to make a commitment, to make a choice or to move on.  Nothing says you trust your organization more than the power of agreement – so find something where you can say, “yes.”
   
4. TELL SOMEONE THEY DID A GOOD JOB: Leaders are not afraid to hand out praise when a job, large or small, is well done. This builds not only enthusiasm for the work, but trust in your management.
   
5. ACTIVELY LISTEN: Many of us talk about being good listeners, but few of us are really good at it. The next time you are asked to listen to someone, use clarifying and confirming skills, but don’t offer a point of view until the presenter says, “What do you think?”
   
6. BE PASSIONATE: Leaders have enthusiasm, passion, and energy. They transfer this energy to the organization and the business issues at hand. Practice showing your true emotions –  enthusiasm to anger to disappointment to pure joy. This shows you are only human.  An effective leader has the capacity to harness emotion into constructive action.

“Only Action gets you closer to your dreams – do something today that your future self will thank you for.”

– Rory

Originally published on LinkedIn, April 30, 2025.