Whether you’re leading your team, or just trying to be a leader in the office, the biggest, most powerful tool you have is free and right at the tip of your tongue.
That’s right, it’s your words!
By communicating the right way, you can easily inspire, motivate, and elevate everyone around you.
Here are some phrases and ways to pull it off:
“We can do it”
The more times you say this the easier it becomes for you and others to believe it. Say it enough and you’ll be a leader with the success mentality that everything is possible.
The likes of Oprah Winfrey, Arianna Huffington, and Sara Blakely never said “it can’t be done” to their team right off the bat–so don’t go there. That’s because true leaders let every team member flex their wings and test out their unique skills, regardless of their track record.
Granted, this doesn’t translate to hopeless optimism. When you’re trying something new and entering uncharted territory, you should always have deadlines and you shouldn’t be afraid to do a complete 180 at the drop of a hat. But you’ll always need that “we can do it” attitude to find innovation.
“How can I do that better?”
“We cannot change what we are not aware of,” said Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, “and once we are aware, we cannot help but change.”
In most cases, leaders are good at what they do … and they know it. But even leaders like Sandberg know they can use pointers from time to time.
You’re doing both yourself and others a disservice if you pretend to know everything. Your team will become uninspired and afraid to pitch new ideas, and you’ll be missing out on that much-needed push in the right direction. That’s why you should source ideas from everyone, no matter where the are on the totem pole. By using this phrase, you’ll find the most brilliant and surprising insights from the most unexpected people.
“We all make mistakes”
The founder of Dunkin’ Donuts, William Rosenberg, wisely said, “Show me a person who never made a mistake, and I will show you a person who never did anything.”
Don’t color us wrong–careless mistakes should be avoided. But leaders know that in order to move a team forward into new territory, there will be a few slip ups along the way, and that goes for their own work too. A big difference between a great leader and mere manager is the ability to handle responsibility for these slip ups in order to move upwards and onwards.
What phrases have you slipped into your vocabulary to make you a more successful leader? Share it with The Tribe, and get some more tips along the way!
