Leading Others Effectively

Putting on a play? A bakesale? A fundraiser? Leadership skills are needed in more places than just in the corporate business world. And if you have been given the task of leading such an event, you have much to look forward to. You will reap personal fulfillment and experience, but you will also reap the responsibility that comes with organizing a group of people who may cause you to explore new ideas outside your personalized thinking box.

It may be stressful at times, but stress is just a reaction to puzzles left unsolved. Planning can reveal problems so keep these tips in mind while you solve them and you will kick off your event with friendships intact and others happy to follow your lead in the future:

Be confident. Whether you volunteered for the job or it was thrust upon you, show yourself willing for the task. It is okay to be unsure or uncertain. You won’t know everything at first, but accept it with confidence. Always be the first one to open and close meetings or get-togethers. You set the tone for the whole planning process. So be enthusiastic. Others will feed on your energy, good or bad.

Lay it all on the line. Explain why everyone is there and what everyone will be doing. Most of them will have a pretty good idea of why they are on board, but this is the time to set the ground work. Tell them what the goal is. Give and receive introductions, express your concerns and hopes for the event. Encourage your partners to brainstorm and ask questions, all the while showing yourself to be approachable.

Communicate. If you are apt at explaining your ideas and discussing testy subjects, then you have a lot going for you already. Because you MUST communicate. And you must to do so in a productive and effective manner. This means no shouting, cursing, demeaning, gossiping, or cutting down your partners. Remember your goal. It is about producing the best product you can. If that means having to correct a partner from repeating an error, do so. But do it in an objective and pleasant manner.

Remember, you are working with people. As you look around at the faces of your partners, keep in mind that none of them think exactly like you do. You must appreciate their personal point of view and ideas along the journey of producing the goal. Part of being a good leader is recognizing the unique talents and abilities in each person you are leading. Everyone has value to add to the project. Even if you are on a tight schedule, try observing what the others are saying or doing, what gets them excited or concerned, and who gets along better with others. This way you can better match their personalities with the activities involved.

Be Patient. If you can excel at one thing, let it be patience. Rarely do events go off without a hitch. But how you handle bumps in the road will set you apart. Avoid rushing to conclusions when dealing with unseen sticky matters. Don’t pass blame and bring down judgment before receiving all the facts.

Practice these tips as you develop your skills. Your goal is to have a successful event. Your ULTIMATE goal is to have a successful event with satisfied partners and a golden reputation for future projects.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou


People also view

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *