Leadership Tips for Young Leaders

The Only Thing That Is Constant Is Change

This is the most powerful quote that I have ever come across. Honestly, I really wasn’t sure whose quote was this for all this time and often thought that this is my own quote :P. Today I found out that it was by Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher. But that doesn’t matter! What matters is that over the years, I have come to a realization that there is nothing truer. Change is everywhere, all the time, in all facets of our lives.

I too have changed a lot over the years. These have been self-realized changes or have been acquired through my interactions with different individuals. In my professional journey, I have had an opportunity to add many kinds of companies to my work portfolio. Startups, small companies, MNCs, products, services, etc. I worked with different kinds of people — clients, vendors, subordinates, CEOs— who belonged to different global geographies, industries, work cultures, backgrounds, ages. And, I also worked with many different kinds of bosses — the shouter, the dictator, the weekend destroyer, the de-motivator. Not to forget the supporter, the motivator, the wise guy, the far-sighted, the doer.

All these people have had an impact on my thought process and also my personality. What I perceived 10 years back is so different from what I know now. And I am sure, 5 years from now, I will have a new direction. I am growing every day and changing every day. So is everyone.

I wanted to share a few things that I have learned over the years that may be helpful to some of the young leaders. Of course, this is my opinion based on my experiences and will obviously be different for others. Nevertheless here they are:

1. You are not the boss of anyone: We all are doing our share of work. Just because someone reports to you, that doesn’t mean you are superior to them in any way. Your job is to lead and not to boss around. Giving directions, solving your team’s problems, guide them, making the lives of your team members easier, that’s your job! Drop the superiority complex, because you are digging your own grave.
2. Learn from your team: You are not always right. Have you asked your team what they would do in a specific situation? You will be blown away by their approach. Talk to them, learn from them. Learning is two-way traffic.
3. Ride on your co-workers’/subordinates’ strengths: No one is perfect and all of us are flawed. Focus on your team members’ strengths and try to map them with the work they are good at. Also, tell them about their areas of improvement, give them constructive feedback and give them opportunities to work on them. It is okay if they don’t excel, but trust me, they will be more confident the next time.
4. Empathy matters: Empathy has grown to become such a powerful quality/tool, not just for a leader, but for everyone. Gone are the days of scaring people and getting work out of them. Fear is a short-term tool to get things done. Try empathy, and see how much better it is than fear. Empathy should be learned and practiced every single moment at work and even in your personal life.
5. No job is small: Small is just your mentality, not the work. All jobs are equally important and very dependent on each other. If one fails, the domino effect will affect your work too. In fact, in a startup, don’t hesitate to get your hands dirty with groundwork. You will learn the most there.
6. Don’t think Mentorship is a waste of time: Mentorship is really underrated, especially in start-ups, where we are on a run to get things done at rocket speed. Take a breather and share your big and small learnings with people. You won’t believe how many people want to learn from you! And the joy of seeing the changes in people after mentoring, let me tell you, is like achieving Nirvana ( yeah, I’ve been there ;-)!
7. Shield your team from stress: Stress has become a monster in recent times. Especially during the pandemic, mental health was a big concern for many organizations and it will continue to be so. Stressing someone is not the right approach to getting a task done. Remember you are building the team for a marathon and not a 100-meter sprint. Absorb the stress and make sure as Leaders, do not be conductors of stress but insulators!
8. Be yourself, people like that: Remember that you are a good and genuine person (would like to believe most of us are). Don’t say one thing and do something just the opposite. Just like how children learn from what they see and not from what they are told, your team and the rest of the organization are observing you constantly. Words don’t mean anything until you practice what you preach.
9. Apologize if you think you were wrong: We all are humans at the end of the day and we all make mistakes. If you think you made a mistake at work or you were rude to someone unnecessarily, say sorry. It will not make people respect you less. It really takes courage to tell that you are sorry
10. Bring on the “Fun”: Why do you want to be that grumpy manager (I hate this word btw)? Be a part of your team, crack jokes, pull each other’s legs. Of course, don’t offend people while doing so. The fun really strengthens the team’s bond and brings smiles to everyone’s faces. Remember, more than half of your awake time is spent with your colleagues at work and if that is not fun, how sad will life be!

Although the above obviously is not the exhaustive list to be a good Leader, if you just follow some of these simples to-dos, I promise you will make a great Leader and be an example for your team to look up to. Be approachable, be likable, be a good person. You really don’t have to be that painful boss who everyone dislikes. The choice is yours!