Leadership: Is it your cup of coffee?
Ask yourself these six key questions, that will answer your question.
1. Do you have a point of view?
This is probably THE toughest one to achieve, but quite simple to answer. Be it a specific architectural / technical / interpersonal situation- if you do not have your own original take on it and are generally just “going with the flow”, then may be there’s still time. But if it comes really naturally to you to form an opinion, even if its still in your head, and more importantly, if you’re not able to hold it back and find yourself ending up talking about it, suggesting your approach or even further, coming up with steps to achieve it, you’re treading that path already.
2. Are you Approachable?
On a more personal note, do your colleagues feel comfortable talking to you, confide in you and are open about their suggestions? Forming a personal connect with your team is imperative, I believe. This not only teaches you, as a leader, about their personal struggles, goals and aspirations, but also creates a compassionate ecosystem. In order to have high EQ levels , a leader could genuinely invest some time to know their teams on a level beyond the four walls of the office to be able to lead them better.
3. Do you Enable them or Suppress them?
If you’re already in a leadership position, may be its time to take a step back and watch your own actions. If you have a succeeding junior member of your team, what are your internal thoughts about them? Are you enabling them to become more successful or are you stepping on their toes? A good leader is secure enough to be bringing up their team in every way possible. Be it any form of encouragement- a :+1: on their fresh ideas, a pat on the back on a public platform or an award, try to provide a good dose of appreciation to receive it back in the form of team’s success.
4. Do you take or give Responsibility?
Standing up for your team is just as important as steering one. For any reason, if your team is facing issues, are you just playing the blame game or are you really taking a stand and trying to fix it?
5. Are you passionate enough to Represent?
Being able to represent your team is obligatory for few. For the rare few, it comes naturally. Naturally enough that they’re limitlessly passionate about what they do, and the people they are surrounded with. You definitely know where you are at with this- in your heart, this is a no-brainer.
Having said, being able to talk about your concerns might not be easy at all times. Due to factors such as fighting priorities, breaking through legacy systems or plain stage fright, you might struggle just yet to be totally comfortable to represent your team the way you want. But as stated, if you’re passionate enough, you wouldn’t be able to stop getting issues sorted because you care.
6. What are your Kindness levels?
“Real men treat the janitor with the same respect as the CEO.” — Michelle Obama
This is probably the most underwhelming but a spectacularly important one. This is not going to stop you from becoming a leader, but is probably going to have major impact on your current/ future team. Crisp & short, please be kind while you’re climbing up the ladder, this world needs way more compassion.
I really hope you’re surrounded by good peers and leaders, and wish you the best of journey- be it towards becoming one in your own way or fighting challenges while you’re already there.
Until next time, happy reading!
