Lead, So Others Will Follow

Managers never stop trying to better themselves and advance their careers.  To be an effective leader, you have to give your team a reason to follow you.  People want someone to look up to.  They want someone who leads by example and who cares about their success.  Leaders never stop learning – whether it’s reading books, articles, or blogs – they always look for ways to increase their knowledge and skills.  Leaders know that success is a journey and they constantly pursue it.

Here are 3 quick ways you can advance your career:

Forecast

The past is history, the future is a mystery, and the present is a gift.  History is a moment ago, or a lifetime ago, and can’t be changed.  You can, however, learn from it.  Analyze what happened, find the lesson, and move on. The future is unknown but being prepared is a strength all good leaders possess.  Learn to forecast, to look ahead, and you can prevent issues from ever happening.  You will also be able to make better, more educated decisions.  The moment you are in is indeed a gift. The opportunities you will be given as a manager will range from a small decision with little impact, such as what time to close the office for lunch, to business-altering decisions that will mean success or failure.  Relish in these moments, but remember you are leading a team and they will be watching your every move.

Formulate

Once you have learned to forecast, you will have the information you need to formulate a strong plan of action.  Take an inventory of your assets, your team’s strengths, and delegate accordingly.  It is your responsibility to make sure you communicate your vision to your team.  Don’t leave room for interpretation; everyone should have a clear understanding of what you expect and of what the goals are.

Trust

Once you forecast, create a plan of action and delegate to your team based on their strengths.  Determine the keys for success and assign the right person for each job.  Trust they will successfully complete their assignments.  This is very important, as you will be expected to start planning the next project.  You will still need to manage the completion of the project, but you should be able to rely on your team to do the heavy lifting.

As you start your next project, keep these things in mind:  Look to the future instead of the past, create a plan of action, educate your team, delegate, and trust your team to successfully complete their assignments.  And remember: success is a journey, not a destination.