Many companies today are cursed with bosses who aren’t leaders.
While companies should always strive to put true leaders into authority positions, sometimes you find bosses who aren’t real leaders. Fortunately you can also have leaders who don’t hold an “official” leadership role. These “informal leaders” are some of the most valuable people in your organization.
In an article last week, The Muse outlined 10 Signs that show “you’re a real leader.” (I’m sure you’ll note that this is also a pretty great list of behaviors of Approachable Leaders).
- You have an Open Mind and Seek Out Other People’s Opinions
- You Offer Advice and Counsel
- People Count on You
- You’re a Good Listener and People Confide in You
- Others Follow Your Example
- You Insist on Excellence
- You Have a Positive Attitude
- You Treat People With Respect
- You Genuinely Care About Others
- You Are Confident and Passionate
Often we make the critical mistake of promoting someone who is a high performer (the best sales person or the best producer) or the person we know best or are most comfortable with. This is a terrible hiring strategy. People can be GREAT at their jobs but not be leadership material. Recognizing this simple fact can save you a lot of headache and heartache...
