3 Factors Affect Your Leadership Skills

When you think of leadership skills in a professional setting, you probably picture an energetic manager, supervisor or executive capable of successfully leading a dedicated team of people at the office. What you may not realize, however, is that to be effective, these people have personal leadership skills in every aspect of their own lives.

Personal leadership skills generate professional leadership capabilities. That's because skilled supervisors take responsibility for their personal lives before they even step into a professional role. Someone's personal ethics translate well to a business setting when the personal attributes fit perfectly into a supervisory position at work.

Discover three factors that help determine personal leadership ahead of someone choosing a managerial job.

1. Energy

A strong leader has the energy to make responsible choices at work on a daily basis. This comes from personal leadership skills at home where a supervisor manages his time and energy appropriately. Good managers learn to take time for themselves, renew their batteries, and come to work refreshed and positive. These people learn to nurture themselves away from the office, such as spending time with children, reading a book for pure enjoyment or planting a garden. A good leader is at his best both at the office and at home.

2. Mindset

A positive attitude and the right mindset also come into play with personal leadership skills. Placing an emphasis on positive attitudes produces positive outcomes at home. For example, if your child is upset and wants to vent to you about something at school, you sit down and empathize with your child instead of berating him or yelling at him. That's part of having a positive mindset so you can have a positive discussion with your kid rather than a shouting match.

You should handle co-workers in the same way. Instead of being combative or punitive, listen to your colleagues and get feedback on their situations. Then you can make appropriate decisions that have a positive outcome for everyone involved.

3. Support

Good executives have a support network in place helping them make decisions that edify their professional lives. In a work setting, these people are mentors, former supervisors and colleagues who inspire you. For personal leadership skills, you rely on your innermost circle of friends and family who support your life goals and decisions. These are people you trust, talk to when you have ideas, and confide in when you are unsure of a decision. A strong interpersonal network leads to an equally robust professional network that helps you reach your full career potential.

Personal leadership skills turn into professional management styles that could take your career to new heights. If you have these three factors as a large part of your personal life among your friends, spouse and family, you may well become a wonderful supervisor, manager or executive sometime during your climb up the corporate ladder.

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