5 Ways to Look Like a Leader

You're the CEO of your company. But do you look and act like a leader? Here are five ways to get started.

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Most members of a team know when they're doing their work well. They often have a particular area of expertise, and they have deadlines and deliverables. 

For leaders, it's a bit different. How do you show that you're leading? Here are five competencies that good leaders demonstrate. They are related to one another, and each is framed with a question to help you think about opportunities to display leadership.

1. Visibility

We know that leaders need to be seen by followers--from formal presentations and announcements, to a crisis, to simple 'managing by walking around.'  The less-obvious occasions, however, are easily overlooked. They can be lost opportunities, or powerful expressions of leadership.

As a leader, when do you feel out of your comfort zone? Maybe it's when you have to deliver bad or unpopular news, or mediate a conflict between direct reports, or perform a necessary task that you just don't like. One CEO client told me that he found it hard to celebrate the 'small to medium wins' that his team wanted acknowledged. He considered these victories just part of doing business. His solution was to ask his executives to publicize accomplishments up to a certain level, allowing him to save his praise for the really big achievements.

Ask yourself, 'How am I visible to others when I don't want to be?' The answer is not to pretend to like being visible--far from it. Instead, ask yourself this question prior to an uncomfortable event, and use it to help you prepare. Consider some behavioral options, and put yourself in a different mental space. Then you'll be able to be visible in a more productive, less stressful manner.

2. Preparation

Many leaders are great at preparing the logistics of leadership (the facts and figures in a plan, or the pitch for a presentation). Too many leaders, however, don't prepare regularly for the deeper daily requirements of leadership. This is a shame, because most leaders face complex challenges, relentless claims on their time, and increasing pressures to deliver on goals over which they don't have direct control. A bit of regular preparation goes a long way.

Just as athletic activities involve physical, mental, and emotional energies, leadership is a 'whole-body practice' and requires preparation of the whole person. The next time you are running through your checklist prior to a leadership event, ask yourself, 'How have I prepared my whole self for this?'

3. Comfort

This is closely related to preparation, because leadership discomfort is greatly enhanced by a lack of preparation. In order to be more comfortable as a leader and to appear that way to other people, you need to practice (which is simple preparation repeated).  By 'comfortable,' I don't mean perpetually happy or even relaxed--I mean grounded in your complete embodiment of leadership.

Ask yourself, 'How do I display that I am comfortable with the responsibilities and demands of leadership?' Look for nagging doubts in the back of your mind; or instincts that need to be surfaced around what you feel should be happening instead of what is happening, or that feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach about an issue not faced. This is valuable data, and if you do not address your lack of grounding and comfort, others will certainly sense it for you.

4. Listening

One reason that modern leadership is hard is because an effective modern leader must listen to others. Though few people manage to do it, this may be one of the easiest competencies to demonstrate--provided you can resist the urge to talk.

Ask yourself, 'What one thing can I tell myself as a reminder to listen more?' It's vitally important that you think up an effective cue. If you can't come up with one, that in itself could indicate a deeper internal misalignment.

5. Blend

This list started with visibility. When the opposite is required, a leader must blend in. Otherwise, he or she risks drawing attention away from the people and issues at hand. When you pull back, it makes it easier for other people to bring you hard problems, bad news, and perspectives that challenge the status quo. 

As a leader, it's not all about you. The clearest way to demonstrate this is to find the right moments to step out of the spotlight so that other people get the attention they need. Ask yourself, 'When necessary, how do I lower the volume of my leadership presence?'

Though leadership can be hard to demonstrate at times, regularly questioning how you embody your role will serve your leadership well.

Brian Evje: Brian is a management consultant with the organizational effectiveness practice of Slalom Consulting and an advisory board member of Astia, a global not-for-profit dedicated to increasing women's participation in high-growth businesses.