We often wonder what leaders are like in their personal lives. Are they much more passive or are they the same as we see them? The chances are they are the same as you see them. Why? Because leaders are always on.
The reason leaders lead is because of passion for people and for their vision. They therefore are not working, but rather living as a leader. This is how leaders manage to find opportunities when many of us would merely be living.
Here are a few ways you can live more as a leader:
Be Open to Opportunity
Everyone has a story! Everyone represents a potential opportunity. No, you should not sell to everyone or at inappropriate places, but you should be seeking to learn people’s stories. When you are passionate about people and hearing your stories, these opportunities come naturally. They are not forced!
Seize the Opportunity
The next step is to master the art of seizing those opportunities to connect! Once again, no don’t sell yourself, but rather engage and create a connection for mutual interest and benefit. This allows you to meet and find opportunities and seize them. Whether you are at a coffee shop or flying on a plane, seize the opportunity.
Seek with Authentic Curiosity
The most important part of this process is to seek with authentic curiosity. Start by hearing and listening to their story, learn from it and seek to understand. You should focus on them and hearing their story, rather than forcing your own ideas on them. By doing this you will ensure they both of you leave the conversation better off than before.
This curiosity is authentic and is the main reason you feel inspired after talking to leaders and want to keep talking to them. This authenticity is makes people want to talk to you.
Communication Skills Are Important
Most of the great leaders have mastered the art of communication. When you talk to a leader, you talk more than they do. They ask, listen and learn from you. We all want to be heard and empowered, and leaders have the ability to make us feel this way. This allows them to empower you and make you feel heard building connection and trust. The reason leaders do this is because they value the art of learning from others and recognise that you are heard more when you speak less.
While this may seem like something small, this coupled with many other communication skills make leaders the people you want to talk to.
Good communication skills also allow leaders to communicate correctly to get their message across, whether that is communicating to one person or to a team of 100.
Less Views More Impact
In a world where social media has everyone crazed on views, likes and shares; leaders realize that less views = more impact. Reaching and speaking to the right people is 10x more valuable than talking to thousands of the wrong people.
Be open, be curious, seize the opportunity, communicate and focus on the right people, not the number of people.
Sourced from: Nebula. View the original article here.