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ReConnect Africa is a unique website and online magazine for the African professional in the Diaspora. Packed with essential information about careers, business and jobs, ReConnect Africa keeps you connected to the best of Africa.

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It's not just your closet that needs a clearing out at the start of a new year, but also your leadership skills, says career advisor Vera Ng'oma.
It’s not just your closet that needs a clearing out at the start of a new year, but also your leadership skills, says career advisor Vera Ng’oma

The challenge with leadership is that there’s always so much to do that you can get very busy with so many things but fail to do the important things and lose your way. Whilst deciding what not to do and what to do is an ongoing decision, there are some clear ways as a leader that you can keep your leadership focused.

Be Strategic

Your overarching concern should be thinking about and working toward improving the overall health of the organization or team and making it grow. Your job is not to prove how hardworking you are by being overly busy; work towards getting everyone aligned and motivated behind a clear objective and strategy. Forge new ground, challenge mediocrity and quash complacency. Remember that your position will not automatically make you a leader; your ability to stay abreast of where things are at, what needs to shift and leading the effort to effect positive change is what earns you the confidence.

Be Visible

Don’t be invisible because you are too busy. Go out of your way to make your presence felt, not in a negative bossy way but in order to be available and accessible. Make it your business to know what’s working well so that you can seek out those responsible for such success and thank them for their work and give them some positive feedback. Being visible and paying attention to what’s happening gives you an appreciation of what’s happening on the frontline, what you can compliment people on and also find out what can and must be improved.

Your overarching concern should be thinking about and working toward improving the overall health of the organization or team and what makes it grow.

 

Be Modelling

Focus your energy on modelling the behaviours and mindsets that you expect from your team(s). Make sure there is no doubt at all about the principles and values that should underpin the way the organization functions. Honour your word because every time you break your word, you lose credibility and influence and it starts to chip away at your reputation in life. Your word is gold. Always make sure people know where they stand because when they don’t, they detach emotionally.

Be Courageous

Lead in line with where you are going rather than how you’ve led to date. You can’t function at your next level if you are relying only on the leadership you know or your past mentality. This will poison your ability to be fresh and innovative and fail to create any new, enriching experiences for yourself or others. Grow and evolve into what you need to become in order for your organization and team to advance. Don’t hesitate in making the tough decisions. Remove any strains and constraints that might be dissipating any forms of vitality.

Be Empowering

Let people know what their responsibilities are and for what they are accountable as that is critical to achieving team or organizational goals. Nurture an environment that encourages a culture where people are willing to contribute more than is required of them. Find out what people enjoy doing the most and provide people the opportunity to use their strengths and to participate in what energizes them. Consider areas in which they could complement colleagues, what could be delegated that will enable someone else’s strength. Encourage people to bring their own capabilities and flair to their roles.

 

 

Be Communicating

Communication is part of the DNA of your role and a natural part of doing business. Keep people informed and own the outcome of the communication not just the transmission. Don’t just pass on information; think about what you want your communication to achieve; whether it’s to alter an opinion or to inspire people to do something differently. Don’t use big words and be circuitous. Be clear in communication and understand the different segments of your staff so that you can tailor your communications accordingly.

Vera Ng’oma leads EXCELLICAgroup, an organization dedicated to promoting and developing excellence in leadership, career and people development. Vera works with organizations and individuals to equip them to elevate their performance, achieve their goals and expand their impact. Contact Verangoma@gmail.com
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