Carnegie Coach
Becoming a Leader
By Michael Crom
Executive Vice President, Dale Carnegie Training®
Dear Carnegie Coach:
The national convention is approaching at my firm and I have been chosen to supervise the office while my boss is away. I have held leadership positions with organizations I am involved in, but never had to lead in a professional setting. Do you have any advice about what makes a good leader and how I might make the office operate as efficiently as when my boss is around?
Micah
Dear Micah:
It sounds like your boss respects your attitude at work and sees you as someone to rely on. Clearly management feels that you are capable of leading a group, which is a great compliment. Now, it is key to keep the team on track and take this new challenge in stride. Here are a few ideas to keep in mind as you begin to lead:
- Know the basics. Leadership is a terrific quality that not all people are lucky enough to possess. Here is a simple list of the qualities one must possess to be a good leader and those which are characteristic of an ineffective leader.
The Ineffective The Effective
Leader Leader
Pushes People Guides People
Instills fear Motivates by Enthusiasm
Says “do this” Says “Let’s do this together”
Makes work feel like a chore Makes work interesting and fun
Leads with authority Leads through cooperation
Says “you” Says “we”
Orders tasks Encourages creativity
Provides answers Asks questions
Controls Delegates
2. Create a plan. Supervisors need to delegate work to others while looking at the big picture. Figuring out all that needs to get done and then creating a plan of action to make it all happen is the trick to completing everything on time without putting undue pressure on other employees. Be sure to budget appropriate time for the completion of tasks and that you communicate the plan to everyone involved.
3. Monitor progress and make tweaks to your plan. Perhaps things are not going as you intended and the team is stuck on one item. Ensure that this is accounted for in the plan and that time can be made up in other areas through some simple adjustments. The monitoring of team progress will also ensure better results and that tasks can be changed on the fly to maximize efficiency.
Who knows – this could be the chance to prove yourself. If your time as a supervisor works out well, maybe a management position is in your future. Just do your best and be sure to keep yourself and your team on task. Good luck!
If you have any business related questions or would like advice on other workplace issues, visit our web site at www.dalecarnegie.com or email us at carnegiecoach@dalecarnegie.com.
(c) Dale Carnegie & Associates,
