Let’s do this simple test, just you and I, so we know what is your leadership style.

Please read this simple question, be completely honest and answer as quickly as possible:

How would measure your success as a leader?

Answer 1

By the stability of my business, the company’s achievements, and client satisfaction.

Answer 2

By the company’s growth, profit, and market position.

Answer 3

By company satisfaction rate, team performance, internal communication effectiveness, anf attrition.

During my work experience, I have had: bad leaders, very impulsive and annoying leaders, smart, and courageous; I am also sure there were some that I do not recall as an important influence at all, which might be because they were not leaders at all. But from all the people I had to work with, I remember two of them who are for me the greatest leaders I have ever had.

Why were they different from the rest? Well, one of the quotes I read from Warren Bennis makes me understand the reason “Good leaders make people feel that they are at the very heart of things, not at the very periphery.”

And that’s exactly what I felt, I felt completely involved in their plans, and I got very committed to them; in fact, I didn’t feel it was something heavy or stressful at all, I wanted to do the best I could do because my leader trusted on me more than I trust on myself. Then you may be the kind of leader that your co-workers will have a hard time describing your leadership style to in a couple of years was such a great feeling when we had weekly meetings knowing that he will stress all my achievements with gratefulness but at the same time he will share with me his point of view on how he would do something in a different way, he was open to discuss any idea and I felt so comfortable that I knew he always wanted the best for me, so anytime I face challenges, even today, I remember his strategies, his explanations and all the wisdom he transferred to me. It is great to have such a great leader.

I am pretty sure it was a great experience for him too, as he developed a loyal and committed assistant in me.

Have you had that type of leader too?

And now, what type of leader you are?… even further, what kind of leader do you think your employees think you are?

If your answer was #1 then you are more profiled as a Successful Leader.

If your answer was #2 then you may be the kind of leader that your staff will have a hard time describing your leadership style to in a couple of years.

If your answer was #3 then you are probably the kind of memorable leader that we will never forget and feel that you are not only successful in your business but also a respectful and inspiring leader for life.

Behavior, by which I mean the actions a leader takes, are the traits and characteristics that make someone effective as a leader.

Leaders use their behavior to coach, guide, develop, and influence the performance of their staff members or virtual assistants they work with. There are many innate characteristics that enhance leadership behavior, however, there are strategies and actions that leaders can develop to increase their effectiveness. Their influence is so important as they impact directly staff members’ morale, performance, behavior, confidence, decision-making, and stability.

Have you heard that “employees don’t leave companies, they leave their managers”? Well, that’s the reason why. Real leaders make you feel important, they develop your leadership skills and help you grow while they get their business goals.

The Western Governors University-WGU listed seven highlighted characteristics that effective leaders have:

1. Honesty.
2. Confidence.
3. Open communication channels.
4. Address issues.
5. Make decisions.
6. Provide feedback.
7. Reward achievements

Not all successful leaders are precisely effective leaders. There are several examples of success we might think about that are truly rich and have made a lot of money from their business but are remembered as true tyrannous while there are a number of business owners that not only are successful but also great examples of leaders, coach, strategists, kindness, guidance, and inspiration for us not only at work but also for our life.

While successful leadership focuses on achievement, effective leadership focuses on the people who get the achievements possible.

So the main difference between these two styles of leadership remains in how they apply their authority, how they communicate their ideas and goals, what’s the level of importance they give to their staff, and how they perceive the people they work with.

Ratatouille?! Yes, you might have watched this movie. Is it interesting these two characters?

While Remy, the cutest rat ever, teaches with passion, believing in others’ abilities and skills, trusting in his human -even more than he trusted in himself- and transferring his knowledge to the team, building the beginning of a great leader, using that formula reaches the success in his restaurant. His dream came true. The other character, Skinner, struggles to do everything on his own, he thinks he is the only person capable to do things well. He can’t trust anyone else but himself. He might have reached a level of success for a moment but it only lasted until an effective leader appears, that one who knows how to become his staff in a solid and strong team.

Does it make sense now?

Do not get me wrong, I am not saying you have to start using your staff as puppets pulling off their hair, but transfer your passion in what you do and how you want things to be done developing leaders in your staff, helping them to trust on what they are capable to do, delegating important tasks and leading by example.

Entrepreneurs.com made a post listing 6 steps to develop effective leadership that lasted for life:

1. Generous.
2. Relentless.
3. Compassionate.
4. Exemplary.
5. Humble.
6. Protective.

What can you say have in common? Yes, they are soft skills. Just as the post describes: “Though there are multiple paths to becoming an effective leader, all roads seem to intersect at several behaviors, attitudes, and characteristics that the best leaders exhibit. Moreover, many of these traits focus not on business capability but human virtues.”