8 Ways to Improve Your Leadership Skills and Succeed at Life

When you think of a leader, who comes to mind?

If your head is dancing with images of presidents and politicians, you might be working up a sweat. How could someone like you hope to improve leadership skills enough to stand out among giants?

Do you have to? 

The truth is, you don’t need to be the best leader in the world – you only need to be the best leader in your workplace! That begins by taking small, actionable steps and building your skills. Setting goals, choosing mentors, and putting in hard work are often enough to help you take charge and inspire your team. 

Are you aware of the importance of leadership skills in work and life? Keep reading to pick up 8 tips that can help you grow into a better leader and improve your life!  

1. Figure Out What You’re Good At

A good leader can recognize the strengths of others so that they can effectively delegate tasks and get things done. Have you taken the time to identify your own strengths? Once you recognize what you’re good at, you can actively work to leverage those skills and foster others. 

Once you recognize what skills need work, you can focus your attention on building them! You might need to take an aptitude test or use another tool to identify weaker skills. You might learn things about yourself that you didn’t know, which can inform the way you make choices in the future. 

2. Identify Your Leadership Style

There are quite a few distinct leadership styles, and they all have their strengths and weaknesses. Some leaders are coaches, who focus on motivating their team. Others are bureaucratic, with a focus on duty. 

How do you communicate with others? How much praise do you provide your team, and how? Do you delegate everything, or are you more hands-on?

Once you learn to recognize your natural style, you can seek out opportunities where that style is a strength. If you notice a deficit, you can work to balance your style, too. It’s possible to bring a different aspect of your leadership style to each project, so don’t be afraid to let yourself grow!

3. Set a Leadership Goal

Once you’ve identified your strengths, weaknesses, and style, you can set a clear and actionable goal. You will want to be specific so you can keep track of your progress. Make sure the goals you set are realistic and achievable or you may get frustrated or discouraged. 

You might consider setting a SMART goal. That’s a goal that is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Knowing how to make and achieve such goals will also help you encourage your team to do the same! 

Remember that a goal is about your long-term destination, not any measurable stop along the way. Always have the image of the strong leader you hope to become at the back of your mind! 

4. Seek Out Mentors

Nobody knows you better than the leaders who inspire you now. That’s why the leaders in your current workplace tend to make excellent mentors. They can offer specific, actionable feedback that can help you improve in real-time. 

These individuals can also help you network and introduced you to other leaders in your field. Sometimes these connections will lead you to a new way to practice your leadership skills! 

Make sure to ask your mentor questions, but don’t take advantage of their wisdom. It’s polite to offer to buy lunch or coffee in exchange for their time! 

5. Let Your Role Models Help

If you don’t have a mentor to grab a cup of coffee with, you can seek out a role model in the wider world. Many admirable people have written books that make great resources for those looking to grow as leaders. You can probably find their speeches or presentations on youtube, too! 

There is a reason that you admire and look up to these figures, so take the time to figure out why. Find one trait that you can work on or emulate. Often, their story will include paths that you can follow on your own leadership journey. 

6. Practice Makes Perfect

Not every opportunity to practice leadership skills needs to have a tie to your job. Effective leadership skills work in every setting, from your book club to your child’s elementary school! Find a place to take on a leadership role where you can stretch your skills in a new and interesting context.

None of this work is “busy work,” either. Every leadership role is valid, and these are experiences that you can talk about in cover letters and during job interviews! Throwing a class party involves a lot of moving parts, and can teach you a lot about how to throw a great fundraising gala or staff development day!

7. Volunteer When the Stakes Are Low

If you do want to take on a new leadership role in the workplace, find a fairly low-stakes way to begin building your skills. This can be something small but significant like taking on a large role during a project. You can even suggest a project or improvement yourself and volunteer to take the lead. 

If you’re hungry for a new way to practice good leadership skills at work, reach out and ask a boss or supervisor for a way to step up. As a bonus, this shows initiative and will help you stand out when a larger opportunity comes along. 

Trying something new when the stakes are low is a great way to learn from mistakes without huge consequences. 

8. Take a Class

There are plenty of leadership courses available that you can enroll in right now! Some of them are live and in person, and others are asynchronous. If you find an asynchronous video course you can take the class on your own time. 

Find an organization that can help you grow in the specific field where you hope to excel. For example, you might consider taking a class on global leadership development if you wish to work internationally. 

Improve Leadership Skills to Improve Your Life

If you are seeking to improve leadership skills, you’ll quickly find that they positively impact all areas of your life. You will learn to delegate, organize, and inspire people, no matter what professional path you take. Allow yourself the opportunity to grow into a leader today and you never know where you will be in five years!  

Do you know where you will be in five minutes? How about on the blog, checking out another post about how to excel in business? Initiative is the first step toward leadership, after all!