No single person is immediately born as a leader; the titles and responsibilities are not given to them upon the minute they enter the world, but rather come from a long path of an arduous journey of acquiring experience, meeting challenges, and being an effective coordinator of those working with them.
Advice on leadership development is often given with the assumption that you already identify as a leader or are aspiring to formal leadership roles, but what if you are still sitting on the fence and feel like you are just not there yet? Even, what if the word ‘leader’ still feels intimidating and foreign to you?
The reality is that leadership is never confined to those who occupy the upper echelons of administration with impressive titles. There are opportunities every day you can use to start thinking like a leader and to guide, influence, impact and inspire other people. Some may even take it a step further by enrolling in online MBA courses via the Melbourne Business School or other leadership courses to develop strategic thinking, management principles, and problem-solving techniques that help one think and act like a leader. Irrespective of this, let’s look at some of the ways you can start immersing yourself in the mind of a leader without officially being one yet.
- Widen Your Horizons
Nothing is more harmful to a leader than being shortsighted. All leaders think big; it is not reckless thinking, but being responsible for the bigger picture, and the bigger picture, as its name suggests, can never be small, because that would be small thinking. What does big thinking look like in practice? It is zooming out and thinking about things with a vision in mind. This can be about how you are to grow into your future self, making a positive impact on those around and the world at large, or a long-term plan on what direction you are to take.
- Influence Over Authority: Prioritising Others First
Building effective leadership begins with influence, not position. Leadership involves serving and prioritising others, which can be practised in everyday situations, such as asking insightful questions during meetings. You don’t need a title to help others see missed possibilities or to steer conversations by suggesting questions or perspectives. This subtle act shifts the dialogue and demonstrates leadership. Use opportunities to clarify misunderstandings, connect ideas, and brainstorm solutions with colleagues. Without others, you are not a leader.
- Treat Everything with Focus and Strategy
All leaders have a strong focus on intentionality, which is key in leadership thinking. It involves considering schedules and priorities, like marking important tasks on a calendar. Many leaders lack this purposeful approach, which harms results. Additionally, consistency is vital, requiring the removal of distractions and the establishment of a routine for predictability. Since thinking isn’t linear and can lead to burnout, setting dedicated times for strategic thinking is crucial.
- Taking the Initiative
Taking the first step when others hesitate defines leadership. It doesn’t require grand gestures, but small acts of initiative that build confidence, like volunteering for tasks others avoid. When taking initiative, admit if you don’t understand initially or offer solutions to problems. Don’t fear admitting mistakes or sharing lessons learned; this creates an impactful role model and a safe space for others. Authenticity is key to how leaders think and act, demonstrating self-awareness, strengths, and weaknesses, traits shared by history’s greatest leaders.
- Stand Your Ground
Having an independent and clear perspective is a characteristic of leadership thinking, even if you have not earned a leadership title. You stand on firmer ground by forming stronger opinions about strategy, processes, and approaches in your field, and by formulating and sharing them in a low-stakes context. Nevertheless, this does not mean being domineering towards others; standing your ground means expressing thoughtful perspectives and viewpoints worthy of recognition and contributing to organisational discourse and planning.
Finally, staying up to date on industry trends and developing your own thoughts on best practices is a great way to further solidify your perspectives. At the same time, having a principle of self-criticism and a constant validation of your views will earn you respect from colleagues. After all, in a world full of copycats, sycophants, and worshippers of social validation, independent thinking is becoming rarer and more valuable.