👨🏻‍⚖️ The 7 Leadership Principles We Can Learn from Leaders Today

In recent years, we have seen how leadership concepts and the definition of leadership change through time and accommodate today’s people’s expectations.

Redefining leadership: The leadership definition and what we followers generally expect from a leader have been increasingly demanding, causing political disruptions through changing the party they used to trust. In short, the main reasons are that people want a difference due to current economic and health situations and different leadership styles and personalities are now more welcome than ever. And what has worked in the past for leaders is no longer working in today’s world.

The situation: Recently, Malaysia’s political screen during the GE15 is one of the real-life cases I have observed. And how the population of 32.7 million with over 21 .17 million eligible voters, this time, there was a 73.29% turnout rate, equivalent to 15.6 million voters. Throughout the election, the campaigns showed us different leadership and personalities from all candidates, and some prominent party leaders were clear examples of good leadership: the result, from a bird’s eye view, is that we managed to form a new unity government with different ethics and religions representing a true Malaysia.

The principles: Here are some guides of good leadership that are worth taking notes on. We can learn a thing or two about what kind of leadership people will follow today for a country. Then, we can also use these similar qualities to work in a smaller corporate or team group.

1. Team first. Put the team first, and there is no self-interest. When you are the leader, you must do what is right at that time to get the team moving in its original direction; sometimes, personal principles may need to compromise for the ultimate goals. When you team up with more people, the initial plans may no longer be valid, and a leader must be flexible enough to make changes that fit most, if not everyone, goals. 

2. Keep good promises. Actions speak louder than words. You are what you do, not what you say. Walk the talk is what your followers want most from a leader. To build credibility as a leader, the only way to prove you mean what you say is to validate it with firm actions. Remember, once you are the leader, like it or not, all eyes will be on you, not only from followers, critics and rivals. Every step taken must represent what you have said in the past. That is how you earn respect through trust.

3. A team player. A leader is a representative of a team. You are only a leader if your follower says so. Therefore, a leader cannot be self-declared. True leaders will never walk alone as they will gain support from the team. Teamwork is the only way to survive a leadership administration.

4. Give recognition. As a leader, you must praise and recognise another leader. To promote teamwork, you must acknowledge and promote your teammate’s work as a team player. Never self-praised.

5. Building trust. Charisma is necessary, but building trust is more important. Demonstrating good charm can make a great impression. Generally, people accept leaders with outstanding charisma. But a leader with such characteristics may have a lousy record and join a bad team or make the wrong move. People will still remember what you have done, not just how you made them feel. So walking the right path and building trust is more critical than buying hearts from followers.

6. Tolerance. Tolerate and make necessary sacrifices. Tolerance is a primary critical factor form teamwork success. A leader must learn to be humble and work with rivals or opponents for the bigger picture in good or bad times. Excellent tolerance is a key to closing gaps and differences to compromise the greater good, as there will be a challenging situation. It is finding ways to tolerate the current situation to make things work for the team.

7. Selfless Act. It is not about you; it is always about them. Contributing to what followers want makes a leader, not followers giving what leaders want. A reverse scenario compared to older leadership. Leadership today is about serving the team’s needs. It is a selfless individual that drives the team or organisational goals. Listening aggressively to the group’s voices and looking at all views is the key to managing different expectations. Although a leader cannot please everyone, a good leader can achieve overall compromise goals by listening actively on the ground and acting with caution and according to the needs and wants of the team that will be most effective leadership.

THE TAKEAWAY

That’s my observation; being a leader is never easy. People now want a leader that works with them, is down to earth, humble, takes criticisms and makes selfless improvements for the better of the team.

Do you practice the above as a leader? And what other essential qualities have I missed? Feel free to share your thoughts.

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