Build Your Leadership Foundation

When we think of leadership we think of having vision, providing direction and goals, motivating, and having influence.  Leadership does not come from having a title or position on the organization chart.  A leader is powerless without one essential thing:  people.  A leader is only truly effective if people want to be led by him or her.  For people to want to follow you must start by building a leadership foundation consisting of trust, approachability, and a willingness to learn.

Build trust

compass pointing to word leadership

  • Be as open and transparent as possible.
  • Be authentic.
  • Admit if you are wrong or don’t know.
  • Show interest in people and what they are doing.
  • Be fair and consistent.
  • Develop a track record.
  • Be willing to ask for help

Be approachable

  • Approachability starts with trust.
  • Show that you value people.  Treat them as people not just assets and remember their names.
  • Give them your undivided attention.  Close the laptop when they are in your office.
  • If you can’t give them your undivided attention schedule a time when you can.
  • Don’t quickly discount their ideas or concerns.  Listen more than you talk.
  • Your approachability will impact the engagement and performance of your team.
  • Get to know them as people.  Ask questions out of curiosity about their lives outside the lab.

Show you are willing to learn

  • Accept and admit that you don’t know everything.
  • Accept feedback and criticism to improve yourself.
  • Ask questions to show you are eager to learn.
  • Be open to their ideas.
  • Try to learn something from everyone.
  • When someone on your team has a skill that they are stronger at than you, allow them independence and a chance to lead that part of a project or job.

Building your leadership foundation is a key step in becoming the leader people want to follow.

Based on excerpts from John Maxwell Company Leadership podcast #56 and edited by John Sadowski, ALMA Executive Director