How To Lead: 8 Quick And Easy Tips
Good leadership is all about walking the line between firm and fair.
You need to encourage people to open up while still being tough!
8 Tips On How To Lead
1. Don’t Criticise
“While dealing with people, remember that you are dealing not with creatures of logic, but with creatures of emotion, who are motivated by pride and ego.” Dale Carnegie
If you criticise or complain about someone, they will feel like they are being attacked.
This is going to turn them against you.
Instead of criticising, try to understand why people do what they do.
Empathise, and forgive.
2. Give Honest And Sincere Appreciation
We all want to feel important and appreciated.
Make someone else feel this way, and they will love you for it.
“The deepest desire in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.” William James
Don’t do this dishonestly. People will see straight through it.
Look for the positive when dealing with others.
Constantly ask yourself: “What is there to admire about this person?”
Once you’ve figured it out, let them know in an honest and straightforward way.
Everyone likes to be admired.
For people who find gratitude useful, this is really just learning a gratitude practice which you use each time you meet someone.
3. Arouse In The Other Person An Eager Want
“It is true you are interested in what you want. But no one else is. The rest of us are just like you: interested in what we want.” Dale Carnegie
Just as we are interested in what is important to us, others are interested in what is important to them.
We all want different things. We all see things differently.
To persuade others, you must figure out what motivates them!
If you can combine your desires with their desires, they will become eager to work with you.
Leadership is a key part of assertiveness, and we learn all about it on our Line Manager courses in London!
4. Talk In Terms Of The Other Person’s Interests
“The best and easy road to a person’s heart is to talk about the things they treasure the most.” Theodore Roosevelt
Focus on what the other person is interested in and talk about it first.
Talk to people about their interests, and they will feel valued and important.
They will enjoy the conversation.
When in doubt, ask people about their past achievements and to talk about themselves.
Both are subjects very close to their hearts!
You can talk about your interests, just don’t lead with them.
This is really the interpersonal equivalent of engaging your audience when presenting an idea.
5. Remember Names
“The average person is more interested in their name than in all the other names on earth put together.” Dale Carnegie
Your name is a large part of what makes you unique and sets you apart from others.
Remembering other people’s names will make them feel noticed and remembered (important, in short).
Make a real effort to remember and use people’s names.
6. Become Genuinely Interested
“You can make more friends in two months by being interested in them than in two years by making them interested in you.” Dale Carnegie
Reciprocity is a fundamental human trait.
We are interested in others who show an interest in us.
Generally, we like people who like us.
Learning to ask open-ended questions will help a lot with this.
Open-ended questions signal that you have time for the person that you’re speaking to!
7. Avoid Arguments
“If you argue and contradict, you may achieve a victory sometimes; but it will be an empty victory because you will never get your opponent’s goodwill.” Benjamin Franklin
There is no way to win an argument, so don’t argue.
Even if you think you have won an argument:
You will have made the other person feel inferior and probably hurt their pride.
Now you’ve now lost their goodwill!
For this reason you need to avoid arguments whenever possible.
8. Be A Good Listener
Good conversationalists start by being good listeners.
Learning to listen well is key to human relationships.
Ask people questions that show you are interested in them and listen carefully to their answers.
They will enjoy speaking to you.
People are most interested in themselves, so their wants, and their problems.
If you show genuine interest in them, you will be showing that you also think those things are important.
Is This Ethical?
It all depends on your intentions.
There is nothing fundamentally wrong with wanting someone to like you.
It can make things easier and more fun for both of you.
Friendship is a fundamental human need and part of civilisation.
Apply the advice here genuinely and for a good reason, and there are no ethical problems.
But are trying to make someone like you for a reason that isn’t in their interests, then there absolutely is an issue!
Summary
Winning other people over is an incredibly valuable skill in all aspects of life.
Next time you are speaking with an employee, just pick one of the above tips at a time and apply it.
Afterwards, think about how the conversation better than usual!
Image Credits: Pexels
