The challenges in today’s world are extremely complex. We need leaders who can think clear, fast and act decisively within the complex systems. We have leaders in every field, like Warren Buffet who is the leader in financial market, Bill Gates who is a leader in computer software, and Late Steve jobs who has proved himself a leader in electronic gadgets. Leadership in today’s volatile and complex world is about deeply listening to a diversity of voices and then taking action.

Below are 4 effective ways, to help yourself and your organization become a leader, irrespective of the sector/industry:

• Keep a true commitment to change in the face of challenges and Uncertainty: When we come to terms with the fact that change is needed in the organization, it is not that we realize and implement the change. To make a systematic change, we need to first understand the need for that change, and then accept that the road to that change will be challenging. Apart from that, the road to the implementation of change will be filled with a number of drawbacks and a lot of patience to build the ladder of change. A change can never happen within a day or a week, nor will the results of change, be seen any soon after implementation. What is important is not to introduce the major change, but rather break down the major change into short-term enforcements which won’t be resisted and further help in leading to the success of the implementation of the major change.
• Ability to listen and a capacity to understand other’s viewpoint: In any organization, or in any group, the leader should always be a better listener than a speaker. Listening just does not mean to hear what the person is saying, rather hear, understand and empathize with the speaker. With the skill of being a good listener, the leader is gifted with the capacity to understand other’s viewpoint too. With being a good listener, it helps the leader or an individual to take better and efficient decisions. Listening helps to analyze, and make corrective decisions. Although listening may consume a lot of patience initially, but it helps to carry out work easily in latter stages. It helps to map out and understand the context in order to generate and implement the decided strategies and actions for the organization.
• Inspire commitment at all levels, not just the top. Address the root cause of the incidents, not the incident as a standalone: An organization is not made of the top-level management alone, rather an organization is that pyramid, which is strengthened from the bottom level of the organization. Thus, if some strategies are being implemented in the organization, or changes being introduced, it should not just be done for the top-level alone. The changes should be done justly at all the levels of the organization. Along with that, the top level should be open to accept and acknowledge the changes from the bottom and middle level as well. This will make the other levels feel important in the organization, and the top level will get to witness results quickly, as the other levels, accept their commitments wholeheartedly. When there are problems and incidents in the organization, rather than looking at the incident and trying to solve it temporarily, it is better to take out some more time, and invest a bit more, and try to find the root cause of the incident, and solve it such that the incident is permanently resolved, and there are no chances of any such incident occurring again.
• Be open to new ways of working, and show the willingness to innovate, adapt, and take risks: Never be satisfied with what you have achieved, and at the same time never compare yourself with others, Until and unless, we don’t take risks, there is no scope of growth for us as an individual or an organization. Just by taking the risk doesn’t mean that we indulge ourselves in everything, taking the risk, means to first decide, whether the risk is worth indulging in, and second; whether it will help us in becoming better. Always take a calculative risk. For every organization it is very important, to keep getting better, and to set new short-term goals for itself, to reach its vision. To do this, the organization should compare with itself, and try to improvise in their own strategies and become better than they were, thus stepping up to become leaders in their fields.

Thus improve your organization’s performance through leadership. Successful leaders never stop learning. They learn from their mistakes and they learn from their success. They are always adapting themselves and mentoring others for the better.

Written  By Faber Ancita Lobo.