Did you know that the average FTSE100 CEO is paid more than 300 times the average worker’s salary?
Whether such large salaries are justifiable – especially for a CEO who is an employee and not the original founder – is fiercely debated. However, if businesses are willing to pay these sums, that is the value the market thinks CEOs are worth. The market believes they have a highly prized skill… The good news is, you can become a highly sought-after person, who possesses the most desirable qualities.
You just need to develop your leadership skills, raise your perceived value and increase your income.
Regardless of whether you want to be a top CEO or the head of your own company/department, it is very clear that the market values leadership qualities above almost anything else. You will be rewarded very, VERY well if you are thought of as a leader.
So, if you want to increase your rewards, learn how to become a good leader; learn and embody those qualities that make a good leader.
Whether it’s giving proper credit for achievements, acknowledging mistakes, or putting ethics before profit…great leaders exhibit integrity at all times. They do what’s right, even if that isn’t the best thing for the current project or even the bottom line.
When people see evidence that leaders lack integrity, it can be nearly impossible to recover from.
“Trust once lost is hard to get back.”
Leaders must give clear instructions and motivate their staff. To do so, they must be skilled communicators – poor communication is likely to lead to poor outcomes. It’s also important to remember that listening properly is an integral part of communication. Few people do it and even fewer do it well.
So, take time to listen to people properly and make sure you understand what they are trying to articulate. Different people communicate in different ways; some are very opinionated, have strong personalities and see the bigger picture. Others are more analytical and slow to reach decisions.
As a leader, it will be your job to recognise the different ways people behave and adapt to that person’s style and communicate with them in a way that resonates.
If you want to get the best from people, a useful technique that helps me is to repeat back to them what you think they are trying to say. It shows you are listening to them (which people appreciate) and helps you to gain clarity on what they want to communicate.
Leaders create an environment that brings out the good in others, which is why people want to follow them.
A good leader will implement what Wallace D Wattles taught in the Science Of Getting Rich – to leave everybody with the impression of increase.
A great leader helps people become the best versions of themselves, so they will train and develop the employees under them and are willing to give them broad scope to be autonomous and make decisions themselves.
People hate feeling controlled and the more autonomy they have in a job, the happier and more productive they will become. So good leaders need to trust that their team members can deal with the challenges and when employees are empowered they are more likely to make decisions that are in the best interest of the company and the customer as well.
Research has shown that the one factor more than anything that separates successful business people from others, is their ability to weigh up all available facts and make a decision. In fact, it is often said it is better to make a bad decision rather than make no decision at all.
A good leader isn’t simply empowered to make decisions due to their position; they are willing to take on the risk of decision-making.
They make these decisions and take risks knowing that if things don’t work out, the buck stops with them.
I think it’s true to say that people are more likely to follow the lead of those they like. The best leaders are approachable, kind and friendly. They show sincere care for others so staff at all levels of a company can relate to them and follow their lead.
Always look for the good in people and pay them sincere compliments; be kind and considerate.
Sounds simple, right? But, not many employers actually do this… Make sure you’re not one of them.
The best leaders understand that true loyalty is reciprocal. Because of this, they express that loyalty in tangible ways that benefit the members of their teams.
True loyalty is ensuring that all team members have the training and resources needed to do their jobs. It’s helping team members when they are struggling or standing up for them if they are in conflict. Employees that believe leadership is loyal to them are much more likely to show their own loyalty when it matters.
True enthusiasm for a business, its products, and its mission cannot be faked. Employees and customers can recognise insincere cheerleading from a mile away. However, when leaders are sincerely enthusiastic and passionate, it’s contagious.
Enthusiastic leaders are able to make visions come alive; they do this by being inspirational, passionate and by breathing life into the vision via their enthusiasm and energy.
If you’re an entrepreneur or you’re working within the world of business and you are struggling with the hurdles – you don’t have to face them alone.
