Leadership is influence, and there are many ways to influence other people.
Start with figuring out who you are. What are your strengths? What is the “best version” of you? Make that the foundation of your leadership style.
Next, think about the situation. What do your people need? Set them up for success—share a vision for what you want to accomplish, or coach and mentor new competencies in them, or build their confidence, or build a strong team, or be the tip-of-the-spear and show them how it’s done, or be a sounding board for their ideas, or redirect them when they get off-track, or run interference for your team with the client or division head, or rev them up and motivate them to take on a challenge, or smooth out interpersonal conflicts so that people can focus on the work, or…
There are so many ways we can influence others. Some are in that “wheelhouse” of natural strengths. Some are skills that we need to build up to use effectively. Start with the strengths you have—lead from your comfort zone. But then grow that comfort zone, so that you can provide the leadership that your people need in more situations.
(Photo by jean wimmerlin on Unsplash)