3 Tips On How To Be A Better Leader.

Great leaders don’t try to put others down, in fact real leaders see the error and similarities in the masses to be self evident in their own life at one time, so they sympathize. REAL leaders help you grow. A real leader looks to look the absolute best they can in the eyes of others for they know that this is the masses perception of them. And perception is personal reality.

Now do you want to be a leader, or a worker? A boss or a grunt?

When faced with that question I can probably say everyone would verbally say out loud leader. Most people don’t aim to be a grunt. I would even say most people don’t set off to be a worker, often this happens by default on not being confident they can become a leader.

Well we are going to change that mindset today.

I don’t believe anything about this 1%, this 3%, 97% 103% or B52…

I believe simply we ALL have the ability to be leaders or workers. It is just the path of resistance we chose, or rather the mindset we grasp on to. There is a difference between thinking one is BETTER than others or one is more SKILLED than others. Huge difference. Being more skilled simply means that. So the notion that happens often in fitness and martial arts, is people gravitate to grandiose, loud, obnoxious behavior, as that is the essence or rather calling card of success. At the same time others are repelled by it. Ironically we live in a world where bad tv shows are watched way MORE than good ones. Especially poisonous shows like reality tv.

Here are 3 things that will have you looking and feeling like a leader :

1) How you look

If you take all of our senses and lump them together. Which sense reaches the furthest? Sight. What travels quickest? Light. Your pupils are the most far reaching part of your body. You can see things before you hear them. We are visual creatures. We rely so much on our sight first over many other senses. For this reason alone it is important to look your very best in business. Let no one tell you that presentation does not matter. This is false information. Harmful information to your business. It is THE single most important aspect of building a brand.

Let’s put it this way, if you went to an interview for a banking position and had on dirty sneakers and sweat pants, do you think EVEN if you worked for every bank in America you would get the job? Of course not. Why? Because you didn’t look the part. A leader looks like one, he / she carries themselves like one, talks, walks and thinks like one.

Your business is a representation of yourself, your thoughts, your morals, your heart and soul. As you grow it it becomes a small contained culture. How do you want to be perceived? As someone who talks down to others, who makes those less fortunate feel that they are out of grasp. OR do you want to raise them up? Help them get to where you are at.

Like we mentioned above, however you dress carry yourself and hair style is the perception others will take of you. A leader looks like one, he/she dresses well, neat, clean, stands talk, looks you in the eye, cares about what you have to say. Listens.

In business you want to make sure everything you are saying in all of your branding looks and feels like someone took meticulous time to create a culture, a persona, a message to the world. It should all be saying the same thing. Your Business cards should look and feel like your marketing, and your website, and the phone message or scripts you have in place should also sound similar to what you have on your website. If you say the same thing over and over, the message resonates.

If you wear sneakers and sweat pants to a bank job interview, you don’t get the job because your message said. “I don’t really care”. Now if you were going for a job at a gym I would STILL dress nice even if your daily garb would be sweats and sneakers. Because first impressions are everything. You have 1 shot, with the world to make a good impression. Make it the BEST you can possibly make it. That is what a leader does. They recognize there is only 1 shot, I have one shot to get my troops over the bridge, do not waste it.

2) How you Carry Yourself

Stand up straight! Heard that one before I am sure. My grandfather RIP was a WW2 vet. He used to come up behind you and smack you on the back with a heavy hand (I mean a HEAVY hand, he was a boxer in the Army) and go. Stop slouching STAND UP STRAIGHT SOLDIER! Posture is so important to every bodily function we have. It is also important for portraying leadership.

In business posture is extremely important as well. How you position your business, what morals and what your message is saying visually, is extremely important. If you are the leader and head of the business, and you show up late. How does that look? It says you don’t value others time. So do you think they will value yours? How you act in AND outside of your business is important to create the correct posture for it.

We are all allowed to have down time, but if you are out at the local bar getting sloshed and starting fist fights this does nothing well for your posture. Posture in business is much more than just how you look, it’s what you DO. If you are out trying to help a sector of business and at the same time constantly saying something that is degrading or derogatory how does that make you look? I understand being in the client business for many years, that clients don’t always do what they should. So be it. But a great leader will get others to WANT to do something, not by degradation but by elevation.

What you do in and out of your business sets your posture. Set it tall and right.

3) What you say

Finally we come to it. What comes out of your mouth, out of your fingers, out of your mobile phones, on social media, and even what comes out of your employees mouths, fingers, phones and Facebook IS A REFLECTION OF YOU. Let me say that once again, what you or your team says and does, SETS the tone for WHO you are. This is a super slippery slope. Instill the 5 minute rule. Don’t post ANYTHING on Facebook until you thought it out for 5 full minutes. You could regret it later.

Often people in position of power sometimes their brains move faster than others, ( I know because I am one of these people, and in the past have had my fair share of screaming matches. I didn’t understand that not everyone is OCD / ADD like myself nor could they pick up stuff after doing it 1 time, maybe they needed 10 times. And that is OK) get frustrated quickly when people don’t move at their pace.

But it is importantly to chose your words carefully when you have a team. It is important to chose them carefully when working or supporting industries. You never want to be looked at as the cockie arrogant jerk who rests on the power they once had. You want to grow. Constantly. Make sure there is a filter between what you THINK and what you SAY. Emotional intelligence is so very important as a leader. learn it, use it, and exercise it always.

In the end leadership is simply about leading others. There are so many styles and ways to do it, but I have found the most respected ones and the most lasting are the ones who care, who are passionate, and who really want to raise the bar for everyone.

Be a leader. Look the part, act the part, be it.

Until next time friends.