How to create leadership in groups and teams, in 8 key ideas
Leadership is an ingredient capable of making the potential of a group of people a qualitative leap. It is not just about coordinating and encouraging cooperation among the members of a group. In addition, we must motivate, set an example, make sure that the method of work does not cause wasted effort, etc.
In this article we will see several key ideas about how to create leadership in situations where they require this role.
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How to create leadership in a group
Although leadership is a complex phenomenon, fortunately it is possible to learn to be a leader. In the following lines we will see the fundamental ideas from which we must start to start adopting the role of leader.
1. Do not appeal to the authority
The fact of justifying one's leadership based only on the supposed authority that one has, in most cases, it only reduces credibility to whoever does it .
This is so because leadership is not something you have as you might have an object, but it is something that is exercised; it is demonstrated by what is done and what is said. In addition, in this way that authority is not seen as something imposed and artificial.
The only case in which it is necessary to appeal to the authority is when it is very clear that there is nothing to discuss and everyone can see very clearly that continuing to question a decision only serves to waste valuable time.
2. Perfect your communication skills
Communication is essential to be a leader . Misunderstandings and lack of transparency are dysfunctional for cooperation and collective work.
Thus, it is necessary to polish both the verbal and nonverbal aspects of communication. Which brings us to the next idea.
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3. Do not assume that the other knows what you know
Each person has their skills and competences, but also has their blind spots in terms of knowledge. For this reason, it is important to think at every moment of the information that the rest of the people have or do not have when communicating with them .
4. Do not confuse leadership with arrogance
Many people, when thinking about the concept of leader, associate it with the idea of pride. However, this is an error for several reasons, and one of them is that Leadership only makes sense in the context of the group , which is why it is necessary that several people participate in a group or team so that there is the possibility that there is a leader. The latter needs others, but not all groups need a leader.
5. Do not use the group as therapy
A leader is important to the group because it is closely linked to common goals. Therefore, he can not abuse the authority that other people grant him to alleviate tensions by creating conflicts with people in his charge. This, besides being unethical, it is very harmful to the whole .
6. Make sure there are always goals to achieve
All parts of an organization or group must move according to specific objectives to achieve. If this is not the case, the stalemate will appear , and it is even possible that parts of the group leave due to lack of motivation and incentives in general.
7. Practice assertiveness
When it comes to learning the steps about how to be a leader, it is essential to fully adopt an assertive communication style. That is, having the ability to respect others at all times, and at the same time defend the appropriateness of the decisions that you have made.
This is because some people, not to displease, do not communicate certain problems related to the work done by a person or several members of the organization, so that these weaknesses become chronic. Do not avoid moments a little uncomfortable as long as everything is a torrent of continuous praise. If someone makes mistakes, they should communicate.
8. Explain the why of things
It is important that everyone understands the logic behind the decisions of a leader. This is so because the appearance of arbitrariness in the leadership wears away the authority of the leader, even when technically what he does makes sense and is effective when it comes to moving towards a joint goal.
Bibliographic references:
- Gutiérrez Valdebenito, O. (2015). Leadership studies of men and women. Policy and Strategy Magazine N ° 126, 13-35.
- Trevisani, Daniele. (2016). Communication for Leadership: Coaching Leadership Skills (2 ed.). Ferrara: Medialab Research. p. twenty-one.
