Tag Archives: leadership

Everyday Habits That Make You a Better Leader

habits_better_leader_webBecoming a great leader doesn’t take a lifetime of work. Rather, there are everyday habits you can start right now that will help you learn to successfully lead others. From communicating effectively to being courageous in the face of adversity, these tips can help you mold yourself into the leader you want to be today.

Learn to set clear expectations.
It’s fair to say that no one can read minds. So, it’s especially important to make sure you are setting clear expectations before starting a project or delegating an assignment. If you’re leading people on a project, ensure you’re being precise, both verbally and in writing, about what is expected and when you expect the work to be completed. If you’re being assigned a task, make sure you ask questions that clearly establish the expectations of your job before you start. By clarifying expectations, you decrease the opportunity for problems to arise and make it easier to deal with them when they do.

Focus on people.
If you’re a supervisor or a leader of others, it’s important to visit with your teammates on a frequent basis. Investing time in your co-workers helps grow your team and build trust, accountability, and understanding. And strengthening your relationships with those you lead helps you give important feedback during annual reviews. If you aren’t in a leadership position yet, the same rules apply. Getting to know your co-workers and being someone people trust is a great way to help you move up the ladder and get noticed.

Get involved.
One of the easiest ways to gain experience, network, and build your resume is through volunteering. When you give your time to help with community service or an organization that’s important to you, you’ll gain valuable relationships, enjoy the feeling of giving back, and gain skills you may not have otherwise. You may also learn how to lead others, which can be a valuable tool back at the office.

Be brave.
When faced with difficult decisions, leaders have to be brave. In fact, employees will often look to how a leader behaves during turbulent times before deciding how to react themselves. When you’re faced with adversity in the workplace or at home, take a deep breath and consider your options before moving forward. Remember to assess the outcomes of your decisions to learn from your mistakes and celebrate your accomplishments.

Know yourself.
According to Forbes, 90% of top performing leaders possess an abundance of self-awareness. Having a strong sense of self-awareness means you have a clear image of yourself, which includes your leadership style, strengths, weaknesses, and skills. You know where you can improve, and you know where you shine. Once you develop stronger self-awareness, you can craft a plan for improving areas that need work.

Hold yourself accountable.
When things go wrong, it’s easy to blame someone else. But, great leaders know when they’re at fault. Instead of shifting the blame to someone else, own up to your mistakes and any role you had in the problem. Don’t be afraid of what may happen when you’re honest, and never point the finger at those who are not at fault. Furthermore, be there to back up those who need you when things go wrong.

Love what you do.
When you’re passionate about something, it shows. And often, it’s contagious. Take time to be thankful for your job and gain enthusiasm for what you do so others can pick up on your energy. Strive to share the passion you have for your work with others before boredom and apathy take over your team.

How do you prepare yourself to be a successful leader? Share your tips in the comments section below.

Movin’ On Up is brought to by Express Employment Professionals.

Poll – How Do You Prepare for a Future Leadership Role?

MOV_POLL-ICONLeadership is an important part of any company, and the people who fill leadership roles often make or break the success of their business. Does your career path involve leadership of some kind? Do you want to be the manager of a company or own your own business in the future? If your job search goals include leading others, we want to know how you’re preparing for that role. Let us know by voting in our poll!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Poll: What Is the Key Factor That Contributes to Your Job Satisfaction?

Job Seeking and Career Advice PollThe beginning of a new year is a great time to renew your focus on important goals, whether they are personal or professional. From losing weight to saving money, many people will create resolutions and develop plans to stick with them this year. Now that 2016 has begun, your job search efforts may be a renewed priority and you may find yourself applying to more jobs and landing more interviews.

If you plan to focus on your job search this year, it’s important to recognize and understand the factors that contribute to your job satisfaction so you know the job you’re trying to get is the right one for you. We want to know what those key factors are in your life.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Job Search Advice From Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the greatest leaders in American history. In fact, the impact he had on the civil rights movement was so memorable that a federal holiday is dedicated in his honor. Celebrated on the third Monday in January, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day marks the birthday of the famous leader and honors his contributions to American society. He is the only non-president to have a national holiday dedicated to him.

As a powerful voice in the modern American Civil Rights Movement in the 50s and 60s, King stood for nonviolent resistance and inspired people across the world with his hard work and genuine spirit. Although he was assassinated in April of 1968, King’s influence has never died. In fact, job seekers of today can still take advice from this famous activist.

While we celebrate the life of this famous leader, take a few moments to learn from his career and his wisdom. Martin Luther King, Jr. made a difference and enacted positive change, and was able to accomplish his goals because he never gave up. Because of his determination, work ethic, and vision, King always kept his head up and kept fighting for his dream.

If you’ve hit a road block with your job search or career path, remember to keep trying. Pick yourself up and move forward. Martin Luther King, Jr. had a very powerful dream, and you can, too. You just have to keep moving.

As King said, “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”

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Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Poll Results: What Factors Lead to Teamwork Breakdown

results_job_satisfaction_webTeamwork is an important part of any company’s success, and it’s a skill every job seeker should possess. But, not every team works perfectly. There are a number of reasons why teamwork can break down, and we asked Movin’ On Up readers what they thought was the biggest factor for teamwork break down.

With more than 400 votes, the results are:

  • (delete extra space) Poor leadership – 26%
  • Poor communication – 22%
  • Disengaged team members – 19%
  • Unclear goals – 15%
  • Narcissism/One-upmanship – 13%

In addition, 5% of readers selected “other” and cited reasons including:

  • Lack of recognition
  • Hostile work environment
  • Trust issues
  • Gossip
  • Attitude problems
  • Commitment
  • Lack of support
  • Unequal pay

According to a similar poll on Refresh Leadership, Express Employment Professionals blog for business leaders, employers agree. Business leaders cited the number one reason teamwork breaks downs as “poor communication” with 30% of the votes, and “poor leadership” with 26%.

Why do you think poor leadership and poor communication lead to teamwork breakdown? Share with us in the comments section below.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Lessons From History’s Greatest Leaders

lessons_from_history's_greatest_teams_webAs the saying goes, “those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.” This idea suggests that it’s important to study history’s greatest leaders and the traits that made them successful so you can avoid mistakes and become a strong leader.

Throughout history, great leaders like Alexander the Great, Abraham Lincoln, and Nelson Mandela have overcome challenges, built great teams, and inspired radical changes that benefited the world.

And, here’s the good news – you can learn their secrets.

Most great leaders share common traits that helped them lead vast armies, inspire new movements, and cultivate world-changing ideas. These leaders weren’t born with a magical leadership gene – they had to develop those important habits and learn new ways to succeed.

Here’s a look at five of history’s greatest leaders and what we can learn from them.

  1. Nelson Mandela: Sacrifice and Humility – Nelson Mandela is the epitome of humble sacrifice. He often taught forgiveness over revenge, and was committed to peace and justice, even after being imprisoned for 30 years in South Africa. He went on to become the first South African president elected in a democratic process. His lesson? Sometimes you must sacrifice comfort and stability to accomplish your goals.
  2. Rosa Parks: Bravery and Determination – Look no further than American civil rights warrior Rosa Parks to see bravery and determination at work. Parks is best known for refusing to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, AL. That one act of bravery and determination helped inspire the civil rights movement in America. Her lesson? Stand your ground and fight for causes and purposes that are important to you and your team.
  3. Sun Tzu: Observe and Adapt – Sun Tzu, who wrote “The Art of War” in 500 B.C. China, said that a leader must learn to adapt to any situation, and observation was the first step in adapting. He said war leaders should observe the enemy, terrain, wildlife, and soldiers in order to create the best plan of attack. What can we learn from him? Study your workplace, home, friends, competitors, and environment to create the best plan for success.
  4. Alexander the Great: Encourage and Support – Alexander the Great was one of history’s most famous warriors. His secret was to regularly encourage and single out soldiers for special attention for acts of bravery. He listened to the advice of his generals and common soldiers. He listened to and rewarded even those considered inconsequential. His lesson to us? Support, recognize, and encourage your team, and they will bend over backward to continue to succeed.
  5. Abraham Lincoln: Never Give Up – The great president Abraham Lincoln was defeated more than seven times before being elected as president. He could have given up, but he kept going and kept trying. He also faced ruthless opposition to many of the choices he made as president, but he never backed down from decisions he felt were right. His lesson? Never, ever stop trying. Failure is inevitable, but true leaders get back up and keep fighting for their passion and their dreams.

Do you have any personal heroes from history? What lessons did you learn from them? Share with us in the comments section below.


Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Four Training Tips You Can Do Right Now to Advance Your Career

training_tips_for_job_webWhether you are currently seeking a job or looking to move up the ladder in your current position, you can be proactive in building a plan for future success.

If you want to advance your career, start taking steps today to boost your skills, prepare for promotions, or impress interviewers. Here are five career training tips you can do right now to help secure that future success.

1. Develop current and new skills. Be honest with yourself about both your strengths and your weaknesses, and learn to develop both. If you struggle with new programs required for your job, study them or enroll in training. If public speaking is part of your career plan, join organizations like Toastmasters to help improve your speaking ability. Many libraries and community colleges also offer workshops in everything from Excel to business writing. Investing in your skill set is never a waste of time and can only improve your chances for success.

2. Build your network. Networking is a skill you can develop right now, with or without a current job. Attend events where your peers go. Ask advice and offer help when you can, but also watch what successful people do well and learn from them. If you have a job already, build your network within the company. Collaborate and work with others to solve problems, showing that you have a team-building mentality. Attend work functions and join professional networking groups to help expand your future job base.

3. Make a plan. If you are seeking employment, take this time to plot a course for your dream career. Knowing where you are going makes it easier to get there. Research what skills you need to improve, what programs or knowledge you need to learn, and what you must have for upward mobility, and then create a step-by-step plan to meet those skills and needs. Many experts suggest creating a one year, three year, and five year plan – much like you would in a business plan. Once you have a clear goal in place, reaching that goal becomes attainable.

4. Act like the leader you are – or want to be. At the end of the day, leaders are the ones who get promoted or hired. Doers are the workhorses, but leaders are highly sought after. So how do you train yourself now to be a leader? First, have a vision for your career and/or the company’s future. Learn to speak up and offer to take charge on projects. Show respect for all employees, and communicate in a professional manner. Again, taking business communications or public speaking classes can help with this.

If you want to advance your career, these simple training tips are steps you can take now, whether you are currently employed or not. Follow these career training tips, commit to your career, and be open to learning new skills. Proper training is never a waste of time.

What training tips helped you in your career or job search? Share your tips with us here.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.