Whether you consider yourself a leader or not, there are always leadership opportunities to be found in the day-to-day responsibilities of your career. From taking a lead role in a team project to simply taking it on yourself to ensure a task is done right, you are most likely leading more than you realize. An article from Forbes explains it like this: “Leadership is not indicative of position or title but rather personal choice ….Anybody and everybody is a leader…”

There’s no exact formula on how to be a great leader. However, for the sake of personal and professional growth, you must begin taking steps now to ensure you’re becoming the best leader you can be. And one way is to adopt these five laws successful leaders live by.

Live and Let Live
Sometimes you have to make decisions that other people won’t like. At the same time, there will also be people above, beside, and below you who make decisions you don’t agree with. A wise leader knows this and is able to distinguish between the times that disagreement is okay and the times that agreement is necessary.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words
What you say is important, but what you do is even more important. How you act and the things you do are the true measure of what you value. And if co-workers, employees, managers, or customers hear you say one thing but then see you do another, you’ll quickly lose their trust and credibility as a leader.

A House Divided Cannot Stand
Nothing hurts a project, relationship, or business worse than strife between the people involved. There will always be disagreements, but everything will fall apart if there isn’t a unifying goal and a willingness to work together. A leader is always aware of this and constantly works to ensure there is cooperation and harmony.

A Job Worth Doing Is Worth Doing Right
There may be times when you’re faced with the choice of quality or speed. Ninety-nine times out of 100 you should opt for quality. The quality of your work, or your company’s, is what sets you apart, and nothing hurts a reputation more than a low-caliber final product.

Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover
Appearance and first impressions are important, but a good leader also knows that looks can be deceiving. The most eye-catching candidate may not be the most qualified, and the less exciting option may be the most logical choice. So decisions must be based on more than just a hasty judgment.

Whether it’s by adopting these five laws, learning from the example of some of the greats, or implementing some of the most common habits of successful leaders, you have to learn to lead. Not only is it important for future career growth, it’s also important for your own personal fulfillment.

Are there other leadership laws or principles you follow? Share your own leadership tips in the comment section below.

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