How to be a better leader. (Even if you aren’t “the boss”.)

You don’t need to be ‘the boss’ to be a leader. Leaders exist at all levels of an organization.

The best leaders don’t wait for a promotion to step up. They begin practicing long before then.

Leadership involves having a vision that benefits not just yourself, but your organization and colleagues. Leaders are skillful at influencing others to believe in that vision and gaining buy-in.

Regardless of where you are in your career, here are three steps from Harvard Business Review that you can take to improve your leadership skills and grow your influence at work.

Embrace your strengths. 

The more you understand yourself, the more you’ll be able to carry yourself with the confidence of a leader. Start by asking yourself: Which tasks at work feel most energizing and natural to you? Which projects do you excel at and enjoy? What unique perspective do you bring to the table?

Devote time to development, every day. 

Improving your skills will help you expand your impact and influence. Take note of the skills that are valued at your organization and prioritize developing those skills and projecting growth on a daily basis.

Connect and network.

Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert (or somewhere in between), focus on establishing the kinds of meaningful relationships that are key to building influence on your team and in your organization.

Not sure where to start? We can help.

At South End Partners, our Toronto executive recruiters work with large and small organizations across industries (from technology, to supply chain, to sales and operations) to help them find the right leaders for the right opportunities using an objective, data driven approach.

We also provide comprehensive HR consulting services including onboarding support, interview coaching and training, and strategies to develop your superstar teams.

Reach out to find out how we can help you today!