3 Important Principles to Add Big Value with Emotional Leadership

 

I recently received an article from a friend of mine. It talked about the personality and will of one of the men many historians consider to be one of the most charismatic people of all time, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Roosevelt had an uncanny ability to lift others’ spirits thereby changing the dynamic of a situation.

Roosevelt faced a life altering personal crisis as a young man. One evening the resilient Roosevelt went to bed only to awaken the next morning paralyzed from his waist down. Stricken by something that may have kept most people down; he faced his challenges, rose above his limitations and went on to be elected the 32nd president of the United States. Being energized by his personal victory over polio, Roosevelt utilized his persistent optimistic outlook to renew the national spirit.

Reading this story made me realize that we all can add value to others with emotional leadership. Being a leader isn’t always fun, it isn’t always easy and at times can be somewhat draining. But leadership will give you the opportunity to add value to others, which can in turn change the dynamic of any situation. There are three leadership principles, I would like to share with you to add to your emotional leadership both in your personal and your business life.

Leadership Principle 1. You can only add value to others if you truly value others. If we don’t value people, we will underestimate the worth or importance of those around us. Our goal should be to bring out the best in others by creating a vision larger than the one they currently see for themselves.

Leadership Principle 2. You have to make yourself more valuable. Invest in yourself and your team. You have to keep learning, growing and developing your skills. Successful leaders never settle for the status quo. A true leader gives and you can’t give what you don’t have.

Leadership Principle 3. You have to understand and know what it is that other people value.  Exceptional leaders follow the three “L’s”. They first listen…then they learn…and then they lead. To truly lead you have to connect with others and the easiest way to connect with others is to listen and understand what they value.

By following these three principles you will be able to lift others’ spirits thereby changing the dynamic of the situation that you are in. If you are in sales you can increase the chance of closing the deal. If you are in a service related field you build alliances that will allow you to better serve those around you. In your personal life, lifting the spirits of others will set the tone for deeper, quality relationships.

A little bit of effort will go a long way in adding value to those around you, changing the dynamic of your current situation, and giving you better leadership skills.