When someone says the words “leader” to you, you probably then think of someone like a president or head of state in a country, a CEO or manager at a large corporation, or a team captain of your favourite sports team. However, a leader doesn’t necessarily have to be in a position of power, hordes of followers or fans, or a large bank account.

A leader can be someone right in your midst, it can be your student body president or your principal, or even better, it can even be you!

Developing leadership skills can start at a young age. You don’t have to wait to be a company executive to enhance these abilities. You don’t have to put off applying these strengths and wait for a $1M project. You can be a leader right now– in your school projects, volunteer engagements, or study clubs. So do you have the potential to be a leader? Let’s find out below!

You can motivate your peers.

A good leader demonstrates the talents to motivate others to work towards common objectives without being bossy or overly authoritative. He or she knows that for one to earn respect, you first have to respect others. They have a way of inspiring people and making sure that everyone understands their roles to achieve targets and become the best versions of themselves.

You can stay positive.

Striving for excellence as a group isn’t easy, and of course, there are obstacles that get in the way. However, a good leader is the one who knows that one can always overcome these challenges and they aren’t permanent. Therefore, a good leader is the one who can always look at situations through rose-coloured glasses when everyone else can’t. He or she knows how to stay in good spirits even when the situation is looking dire.

You can identify strengths and weaknesses.

A good leader knows that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. This means that to be a truly solid team, he or she needs to recognize each of his or her teammate’s weakest and strong points and ensure the team remains to be a cohesive force so they can reach their goals. This means knowing how to delegate tasks or duties to the appropriate team members. For instance, if you have a class presentation that requires statistical studies, the best person for the job is someone good with numbers—you don’t assign the job to someone with terrific writing skills.

You can provide feedback appropriately.

Being a leader doesn’t necessarily have to end when the end goal is achieved. You can continue to display leadership qualities by providing feedback on things that they did well and didn’t do well. Making this effort can help them in the future and they will likely thank you for it because they learned how to become better teammates.

You can accept your flaws.

Being a leader doesn’t mean you’re without flaws. Like your team members, you have to keep an open mind for your own learning experience and that you’ll likely encounter hurdles along the way. A good leader knows he or she isn’t perfect but he or she knows how to identify shortcomings and areas for improvements and ensures that these are resolved in the best way possible.

You know how to give compliments.

There’s nothing worse than being a part of a team that realized their goals and the leader acts like he or she did it alone. A good leader knows no man is an island and that collaboration and working in harmony are key to accomplish success. A good leader should give praise where praise is due and make sure to chime in that the team has done a great job.

SOURCES:

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/10-signs-you-are-leader-and-dont-even-know.html

https://www.inc.com/lolly-daskal/10-signs-youre-a-follower-instead-of-a-leader.html