Navigation

Get Started

How to Become a Great Leader in Five Simple Steps

Jan 12, 2016 | Leadership

Reading 2 minutes
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Becoming a leader for the first time is both exciting and scary. It’s exciting because it’s the promotion you’ve been waiting for and deserve. It’s scary because it’s a new world with new responsibilities and your team looks up to you for advice and guidance. The perception is you are supposed to know all.

But, what’s even more difficult is how to make sure you become a leader you would like to work for. How do you make sure you become a great leader? One who inspires people to act and to put passion in their work? One who takes the company to the next level?

Let’s look at five simple steps that can take you from an average manager to a great leader.

Five Tips to Become a Great Leader

Delegate

If, before your promotion you liked to do everything by yourself, now it’s time to learn how to delegate. You simply cannot do it all, but by delegating you will empower your team to step out of their comfort zone and do great things. Think of it this way: By delegating, you empower your team and help them grow. You help them become successful professionals. What leader doesn’t want that?

Challenge Yourself

Just like you ask your team to step out of their comfort zone to try new things, the same is valid for you. As a leader, you have to set an example and show you are not afraid to roll up your sleeves and try new things, new approaches, or new ideas and processes.

Getting out of your comfort zone will help you grow and become a great leader.

Continuous Learning

What worked in your old job, won’t in your new role. As a new leader you have different responsibilities, which require a different skill set. Make it your mission to adapt your skill set to the realities of the new position.

Hire a coach who can help you become a successful great leader and always keep learning.

Get Creative with Time Management

Now is a good time to put to work those time management skills you perfected during your career. Apply time management in your work, but also in your personal life. It will give you a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment with your work and personal life.

There is nothing worse than an overwhelmed, burned out leader.

Have a Vision

All great achievements start with a vision and a mission to change the status quo. Define your vision and clearly communicate it to your team. Put a plan in place to make it happen and check on a regular basis where you stand.

People are motivated by a common vision and mission. They need to feel they belong to and are part of something bigger than themselves. Let them be part of your vision.

If you do these things, you won’t only become a great leader, you’ll become a great leader with a great team alongside.

How about you? What tips do you have for new leaders?

Image Credit: Shutterstock


Want to know more about being brief? Check out The Brief Practitioner, an online course from The Brief Lab that teaches executives how to avoid information overload and become lean, effective leaders and communicators.


Share

Search

Recent Posts

Confusion is a Business Killer

by Joe McCormack Confusion is a Business Killer Everyone complains about wasted time in meetings. But here’s the truth: the real price you’re paying isn’t in minutes—it’s in confusion. Confusion kills clarity, stalls decisions, derails major initiatives, and silently...

Jargon Kills Clarity (or: Stop Speaking Dolphin)

by Joe McCormack Why Jargon Kills Clarity Ever been in a conversation where the other person nods politely but clearly has no clue what you’re talking about? Odds are, you were speaking dolphin—using a language only you and a few insiders understand. And here’s the...

Press Release: BRIEF Team Builder

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The BRIEF Lab Adds Post-Training Reinforcement to Lineup Extends the impact and ROI of BRIEF training   Southern Pines, NC – June 30, 2025 — The BRIEF Lab, the leader in elite communication training, is proud to announce the launch of BRIEF...

Subscribe To Get Updates

BRIEF Meeting Prep Card™

File Type:
BRIEF Meeting Prep Card [For Print].pdf Download
BRIEF Meeting Prep [Fillable].pdf Download
BRIEF Meeting Prep.pptx Download