Being a leader in business comes with a lot of challenges. Before you can be regarded as a respectable leader, you need to be able to make yourself stand out. It’s important to get the right attention to work yourself into a leadership position and then to gain the respect that you want when you get there. You want to be a leader who stands out for the right reasons, including that you’re fair, a hard worker, and a great communicator. There’s no point being a leader if you’re universally disliked and lead using only fear and pressure. Here are some strategies you might use to help yourself stand out as a business leader.
Develop a Business Specialism
In terms of being noticed by both people higher up than you and more junior employees, knowing what you’re talking about is important. But when many other people have business expertise, how can you show that you’re different? One way is by developing a valuable specialism in your field that can help provide better insight into doing business. Business law degrees are becoming increasingly popular for those who want to position themselves in a respectable leadership position. Knowledge of business law can give you an edge in your career, providing you with the ability to give insights other cannot.
Craft a Reliable Reputation
If you want people to respect you in your leadership role, you need to show them that you’re worthy of being respected. While some people say that you should command respect, it’s much better to earn it than simply ask for it. One essential quality you need if you want to be respected is to be reliable. People won’t respect a leader who always lets them down or can’t stick to their word. So it’s important to follow through on your promises, be punctual, and be there for people when they need you. Don’t let other people down and they won’t let you down.
Be Human
It can be hard navigating the line between being a business person and just being a person. You’re not necessarily the same person at work as you are at home, and you want to keep your personal life at least partly separate. However, many leaders make the mistake of being too impersonal at work. If you want to stand out as a good business leader, you need to allow yourself to be human. This includes having a good sense of humor, communicating openly, showing warmth towards your colleagues, and being able to admit to your mistakes.
Ask for (and Respond to) Feedback
A good leader is always improving and growing. If you think you’ve learned all you need to about being a leader, you’re probably not a great leader. Asking for feedback from both junior colleagues and higher-ups shows everyone that you’re ready and willing to make improvements to your performance. They can see that you expect as much from yourself as you do from them. Of course, listening to and implementing feedback is important too.
If you want to stand out as a business leader, work on both your business skills and your personable skills. You need the knowledge, but also the relationship skills.