Leadership Techniques

Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it Dwight Eisenhower

An apt description of what leadership techniques should include. Every group needs a leader. Someone to follow, someone to help guide them through their daily tasks and someone they can take inspiration from. Think back to the time in school when you had an activity given to you to complete in a group format. Once the teacher announced it, gave you a time limit and left the class. More often than not, students would end up making a noise. But then that one person arose who got everyone into a disciplined format and order reigned. He assigned duties, solved queries and basically made sure that the work was completed. And if you would've studied closely, they did not follow him because he was the monitor, or because he was a bully, but because he had the necessary leadership qualities to motivate and discipline people so that the job would get done.

Some people are born leaders. Good for them. But it's not like you cannot develop these techniques or skills. With leadership training, it is always possible to become a great leader. All you need to know are some good techniques to follow. And this following section intends to do just that.

Supply a Vision/Goal
It is important to be able to visualize the end product of the project at hand. Many people lack this skill and that is why it is a respected and adhered trait in a leader. Instead of working in the dark and trying to find ways without an end result in mind, people prefer to have an envisioned goal so that the direction in which one needs to work and the efforts one needs to put in, becomes clear. If you can provide them that end result - that right there is one of the greatest leadership techniques.

Be Available
One of the most effective ways to be a good leader is to be there for your team. And by being there it does not mean that one is physically present and mentally absent. Be there for them to solve their doubts and answer queries whenever needed. Especially in the beginning of any project, when they are still trying to find their footing, it is important to be there.

Listen
Listening is an important tool for every situation. Listen, really listen to the people around you. Find out what their problems are, see if you can provide solutions to them. Sometimes even after providing them with the best of tools required for success, there are still no results. That is because there is no effective communication through which you can find out what problems they are facing. Maybe they need training in certain things. And providing them with that training will lead to success. But you will never know about it until you listen.

Appreciate
Appreciating one's work will always drive them to work harder because it'll motivate them. Make sure that you are recognizing the good work that is done by the employees and are appreciating it in the right way. This is one of those leadership qualities that is sure to bring forth great results.

Value Opinions
Get your employees involved in the process. Ask them for their opinions and value them. Make them a part of the decision-making process whenever possible. They will love that they are valued as much and that will show a direct relation to the success of the project at hand.

Break Away
One of the most effective leadership styles is to know when to let go. Even though in the initial stages of any project, it is important to be always present on the scene so that they can get their queries solved, etc., it is just as important to know when to break away. If you are always present dispatching knowledge and the like, then there is a chance that they will get so dependent on you that they will be rendered incapable of doing anything for themselves. Breaking away at the right time and encouraging them to face challenges for themselves will instill confidence in them and they'll be better employees. Those who are able to take decisions for themselves.

Encourage Knowledge
If you find that the employees lack certain skills, then make sure that you encourage them to take up classes to develop those skills. Encourage them to be better at their work.

Communicate Progress
Make sure that you communicate the progress with your employees and appreciate their contribution in getting there. So also, communicating the bad results will help them to know where they are lacking and where they need to pool in their efforts. But the main point is to communicate with them and make them a part of it all.

Now you know some of the most important leadership techniques that you can adopt in order to become a great leader. Leadership development can be learned and used effectively to see how people will respect and revere you for it.