Guest Blog by Karen Wessels, co-founder and COO of VA Connect
If there’s one thing you could ask your future self, what would it be? Perhaps you would ask for advice on how to be a better person or seize well-presented opportunities without hesitation. Would you ask your future self what you could have done to be a better leader? The wisdom of hindsight is infinite - and yet you’re still living in the here and now. Begin by visualising how and where you would like to see your future self.
Not to get gloomy, but it’s almost a case of what will be said about you on your gravestone: “Greatest women leader of all time” or “Led women from all walks of life to social and economic freedom”. The great thing is, you get to choose how your future looks, by crafting it now step by step. So, what are the greatest traits of the best leaders of all time?
1. Have character and be charismatic
Being charismatic is having that “x-factor”, it’s something that no one can quite pinpoint, but sets you apart from the rest. You need to have the ability to lead others, and you will need the character to do this through honesty and integrity.
2. Make decisions and make them fast
We need leaders to be decisive and to do so quickly. You won’t get everyone to agree with you and you’re certainly not going to please everyone at once. So go ahead, make that decision and stick to your guns.
3. Be passionate and authentic
As you a powerful leader you need to be a source of inspiration and by being passionate this will drive you to push your limits, to be more than you think you can be. You also need to be real, show genuine interest in your staff, in causes that are involved with, to tell your story with vulnerability and transparency.
4. Lead by example
Let your actions speak for themselves. As a powerful leader, people will automatically follow your lead, especially when they see that you practice what you preach. Be successful in your own right, value your team, listen to them and be prepared to fail in front of them and learn from your mistakes. Act with diplomacy and treat everyone with respect. This kind of powerful behaviour will rub off on your team, and it will speak volumes about your leadership style and skill.
Feel ready to take on the world? Go ahead, apply these tips and you will be a powerful leader in the making.
Karen Wessels is the co-founder and COO of VA Connect, a South African virtual assistant platform that provides outsourced administrative support. Prior to establishing VA Connect, Karen spent over 10 years in different sales, marketing & admin support roles. Having worked with MDs, SMEs and professionals, she is very familiar with managing different workloads within tight deadlines. This has equipped her with the invaluable skills required to run a successful VA business. Follow Karen on her Personal Website | Twitter | Facebook | Google+
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