You worked hard to get that promotion, but the work is not over yet—in fact, it’s really just beginning. Now you have to prove yourself—not just to your bosses, but also to the employees who will be reporting to you. They will be looking to you for an example to follow, and if you are not able to share your vision and get them on your side quickly, you could lose the respect and trust of your team members. One way to ensure that you get off on the right foot is by listening to keynote motivational speakers and leadership coaches and implementing the things they recommend to become a strong leader. Here are a few tips to establish yourself as a strong leader in your new position and become your boss’s new favorite employee.
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Seek advice from the right people.
Leaders need advice too. Everyone benefits from having someone to ask questions and bounce ideas off of. Choose your mentors carefully, and then listen to what they have to say. They can help you steer clear of potholes because they have been down that road before. Learn from their mistakes as well as their successes.
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Don’t be afraid to press forward with your vision, even when the conditions are unfavorable.
Sometimes it seems like everything is going wrong. Someone in upper management has decided that they don’t like your project, your budget is cut, and your strongest team member gets a better job offer. Don’t let these things kill your vision. Instead, use them as opportunities to come up with solutions and find better ways of doing things.
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Be passionate about what you are doing.
Enthusiasm is contagious. If you believe in yourself and are passionate about your work, your employees will get swept up in your excitement and eagerly follow your lead because they want to be a part of your vision.
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Great leaders are also great followers.
You won’t get far at all if you can’t follow the lead of those in authority over you. Being a loyal employee and a good follower will give your employees an example to emulate and make them more valuable team members.
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Don’t quit.
Great leaders never quit. This is something that keynote motivational speakers, leadership coaches, and management gurus repeat over and over again at their meetings, conventions, and seminars. Leaders don’t quit. When they run into an obstacle, they figure out a way to climb over it, walk around it, or blast it out of their way—and then they keep right on going.
Do you want more strategies to help you stand out as a strong leader at your new job? Read my latest book, Getting Ahead.
