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Becoming a Big Shot

By Angela Egner

Born to Lead?

If you think the great CEOs were simply born to be leaders, think again! Oh, they might have acquired management degrees from top-notch universities. But a good education can only provide the knowledge to succeed, not the skills. Leadership skills, like other skills, have to be developed and honed over time.

In fact, you might be surprised to learn that most large companies spend big bucks training aspiring leaders. Some businesses even operate their own management schools — mini-campuses with professional staffs whose sole purpose is to shape future corporate leaders.

Want to help get your teen on the path to building good leadership skills? Here are a few simple lessons that can have them on the fast track to becoming the big cheese, and being good at it:

Lesson 1:  Make others feel important.

Dale Carnegie, the famous guru of friendship and leadership, once said, “The desire to be important is the deepest urge in human nature.”  Think about it! Each of us wants to be appreciated and understood. In our own private, little worlds of this great universe, we want to believe that we count, that we can make a difference. Don’t just flatter those around you, recognize their value and show them you really care.

Lesson 2:  Ask and listen.

Let’s face it!  All of us talk too much.  If you are going to gain the cooperation of others, then listen up!  Ask for opinions, advice, and help. Then be quiet and listen.  Make sure you understand others’ viewpoints before you continue voicing your own.

Lesson 3:  Don’t get bossy.

No one likes to be bossed around. But that’s why so many of you want to become leaders, right? A true leader has the ability to gain others’ cooperation by asking for it. Encourage others to get involved.  Ask them if they would be willing to help you out. Challenge others to demonstrate their own talents.  But, don’t give out orders! If you do, you’ll not only lose your teammates, you’ll lose your friends.

Lesson 4: Give others credit and praise.

This lesson goes hand-in-hand with Lesson 1. If you take credit for the work of others, then you become a thief. You may get away with it — once.  But, the next time you need a helping hand, others will remember that you stole from them and distrust you. They will retreat from helping you. When someone on your team has accomplished something, even the smallest of tasks, praise them. Tell others about your appreciation of that person’s efforts. Scoot them up to the front of the stage and let them take a bow!

Lesson 5: Don’t just stand there . . . do something!

Of course, there are some lazy people who make it to the top, but they don’t stay there long! You’ve probably heard that a real leader “leads by example.” It’s true!  If you are going to challenge others, you have to show them that you take on challenges as well.

Lesson 6: Be a peacemaker.

Resolving conflicts is an inescapable responsibility of being a leader. Others will look to you to be the peacemaker. Beneath most conflict is inadequate communication or lack of respect. Begin by trying to understand others’ viewpoints. Listen and ask questions. Then challenge your team to find a solution together.

Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way!

You cannot always be the most capable leader in every situation. If you find yourself feeling like a fish out of water, let someone else take the lead.

Then what? You become the team’s most valuable player, of course!

To Learn More, Read:

How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie

You’re the Boss, by Bonnie Drew  

7 Secrets of Exceptional Leadership, by Christopher Hegarty and Philip Nelson

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, by John C. Maxwell

Angela Egner is a veteran corporate planning manager and marketing consultant who now teaches entrepreneurship to youth. She is the founder of the Michigan Alliance for Youth Business Education (MAYBE), a company dedicated to promoting youth entrepreneurship in Michigan.