Have you documented your 2012 goals? If not, fear not: Statistics show that only 2% of Americans actually document their goals.
If you’ve been contemplating developing your leadership skills or pursuing a leadership position in the New Year, write down an over-arching goal of taking your leadership skills to the next level and set specific goals to attain that over-arching goal.
Dale Carnegie’s ‘Be a Leader’ principles are tried and true techniques to becoming a leader.
By applying a few of the key principles listed below, you will be on your way to leadership:
22. Begin with praise and honest appreciation. Consider how you feel when receiving constructive criticism. It’s easier to accept the feedback if the person giving it starts by mentioning what you did correctly or sharing appreciation for your work.
Dale Carnegie once said, “Let’s cease thinking of our accomplishments, our wants. Let’s try to figure out the other man’s good points. Then forget flattery. Give honest, sincere appreciation. Be “hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise…”
25. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders. Leaders don’t bark orders at people. They ask questions about a person’s approach or method to understand their thinking before spouting off the right way of completing a task, project, etc.
Dale Carnegie once said, “One of the surest ways of making a friend and influencing the opinion of another is to give consideration to his opinion, to let him sustain his feeling of importance.”
27. Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Every parent knows it is equally important to praise children for a job well done in addition to disciplining them for bad behavior. Likewise, leaders give positive feedback as often, if not more often, than negative. Praising people is a win-win because it feels good to both parties and the by-products of praise are often renewed commitment, greater accountability and passion.
Dale Carnegie once said, “If we want to find happiness, let’s stop thinking about gratitude or ingratitude and give for the inner joy of giving.”
28. Give the person a fine reputation to live up to. Take a look at yourself through the eyes of your colleagues, superior(s), employees, etc. Consider how you dress, communicate both verbally and non-verbally, and how you treat others. Are you courteous? Prompt? Organized? Enthusiastic? If not, set more goals to embody a few of these leadership characteristics.
Samuel Johnson once said, “The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.” Be sure to treat everyone with dignity and respect.
Consider investing in yourself this New Year by investing in leadership development training. By building your leadership skills, you are more likely to have a bright career path ahead of you. Learn more about the Dale Carnegie Leadership Training For Managers course here.
This post is brought to you by the good folks at Dale Carnegie Training of Michigan, providers of professional development and management development courses and information in Michigan. We would love to connect with you on Facebook.
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