[September 23, 2013] 66 Essentials to be a Successful Junior Leader.
Senior executive leaders provide value to other leaders in a variety of ways. Be available to teach, coach, and mentor those leaders working for you.
One way to do this is to articulate those things that you see as elements for a successful junior leader. Future blog posts will discuss other mentoring ways for leaders.
In this list of “66 Essentials to be a Successful Junior Leader,” I have listed those that have personally helped me as a leader. Most of the list is derived from conversations with others over 4 decades. There is also some conceptual overlap within the list but it is also very comprehensive.
The “essentials” are listed in no particular order or priority.
- Be positive and have a friendly attitude.
- Strive for integrity.
- Respect others, their opinions, their ideas, and comments.
- Always be considerate and gracious.
- Act appropriately at all times.
- Develop trust and confidence in your subordinates, peers, and boss.
- Keep your boss informed.
- Develop a winning team, but do not brag or grandstand.
- Think before you act but be decisive.
- Do not be a gatekeeper.
- Do not ask for a reward, promotion, money, etc. for doing your job.
- Do your work every day, complete all tasks assigned.
- Plan ahead; anticipate future problems, trends, and concerns.
- Follow protocols.
- Know the senior staff and leaders of your organization.
- Measure what you want to improve.
- Trust but verify.
- Keep your work area clean and orderly.
- Communicate effectively up, down, left, right, internally, and externally.
- Great strangers and visitors and make them feel welcome.
- When visiting others, always compliment the place and people.
- Maximize your time with people who work for you.
- Learn and practice your organization’s values.
- If you don’t know something, ask.
- Answer the mail, email, telephone, etc. promptly, politely.
- Remember that nothing is truly secure or private.
- Stand up for what you believe in (moral courage).
- Strive to be a balanced person; physically, morally, spiritually, socially.
- Learn from your mistakes and move on.
- No matter the circumstances or how small, always be honest.
- Do not impose rules on the customer.
- Learn and be able to articulate the history of your organization.
- Become a mentor to junior employees, not in your chain of command.
- Be on time; to work, for meetings, and appointments.
- Encourage excellence in others both verbally and by example.
- Know your job and be able to articulate the requirements.
- Do not allow shortcuts.
- Establish and follow priorities.
- Know that “character” can be learned, teach it.
- Strive for the job that has maximum responsibility for your position.
- No matter what job you are given, do your very best.
- Think about who else needs to know.
- Be fully qualified for your job.
- Complete all required education as soon as possible.
- Take care of your employees and assist their families when asked.
- Be focused and engaged always.
- Be culturally aware.
- Build “teams” with all, do not exclude.
- Remember that you are responsible.
- Do not complain around employees or show a poor attitude.
- Know your employees.
- Think two levels up in your organization.
- Do more than expected.
- Be consistent, steady and unemotional.
- Offer solutions to problems you cannot handle.
- Follow up on everything.
- Do the dirty work cheerfully.
- Be aggressive but don’t be a pest.
- Don’t avoid difficult situations.
- Develop the art of listening.
- Get along with and influence peers.
- Be creative and imaginative, present novel and innovative solutions.
- Recognize that support staffs have power, treat them well.
- Be loyal, promote the team and organization.
- Be safe, do not take unnecessary risks with your well-being.
- Do not bring shame on yourself, team, company, or the country.
Can you think of more? Do you disagree with some of these? Please write me or make comments. Thanks.