Leadership Strengths And Areas Of Improvement

As a young student-athlete, I had many strengths that were a combination of skill, knowledge, and talent. My knowledge, skills, and competency were learned and developed over time. However, my talents were inherent; they were unique to me. As I matured, I realized and understood my talents set me aside from others.

Younger athletes looked up to me, desired to learn from me and follow in my footsteps. They followed me because of my passion; commitment; determination; competency; and ability to inspire others.

I had aspiring goals and was persistent in achieving them. I had a vision for the future; desired to have my name on the record board, to be a teacher, play college ball and coach. I didn’t let others distract me or discourage me. I pushed my teammates and volunteered my Saturdays to coach young athletes and referee early morning games. That was my life; my p assion.I was honest, dependable and accountsble for my  actions.

Those were my talents, yet all along they were leadership traits I possessed and yet I never viewed myself as a leader. Those same traits have stayed with me and over the years, I have learned to sharpen them. I am going to touch on the two that I feel have the most impact on my team right now:

1. Setting Clear Goals and Persisting in Achieving Them
2. Inspiring Others

A good leader understands the importance of setting clear goals and being determined and purposeful in achieving them. Most importantly, displaying a high level of self-confidence.

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People will be drawn to you through genuine enthusiasm. A leader can measure employee progress with specific goals. Measurable goals provide milestones to track progress, which helps motivate employees. Leaders need the skill to inspire others. Helping employees reach great heights of performance and success is key to establishing a great team. Having passion, purpose, and listening help make a leader inspirational. A leader has to demonstrate commitment and passion regularly. It can’t be merely words that are uttered with no meaning. Always remember clear and timely communication, integrity, inclusion, and sensitivity to the employees’ needs are important. People will work hard and become somewhat vulnerable for someone they believe cares about them.

Although I have talents that really helped me grow through education and experience. I too have some areas that I recognize need improvement to become a great leader. I am going to touch on the two that I have been focusing on:

1. Being unrealistic
2. Excessive connectivity

As a leader, it is important to be realistic in your expectation of the assigned tasks and the ability of your staff to perform those tasks. A good example of this is giving a valuable team member too many tasks with short deadlines. That type of pressure can cause an employee to either crumble or be discouraged.

Each person has limitations and as a leader, it is important to be familiar with employees’ strengths and weaknesses and delegate with those in mind. Another weakness of mine is excessive connectivity. Technology allows for 24/7 connection with staff. It is easier to provide feedback on the go and more easily manage staff from afar. This is bad as it can ultimately empower employees. It causes employees to feel as though they have to seek approval on everything. A leader has to be proactive in empowering team members to work decisively. A leader must communicate clearly, set consistent expectations, and use the words “I trust your judgment.”

Leaders have to create boundaries and learn they can not do it all. They need to focus on priorities and allow their management team to make decisions. I have learned that as I grow, change, and develop, I have to be more self-aware of my strengths and areas that need improvement. Leadership skills have to be honed and sharpened regularly. A great leader never stops improving themselves and I am committed to change and self-improvement.