Three "B." of Leadership Success
The three B’s of Leadership are traits that come from within. They can develop over time, but they are inherent in each of us.
Number one “B” is buoyancy. Having buoyancy means being resistant. You have to be someone who has a light heart; it is encouraging; unsinkable and uplifting. It adds purpose to the work that you and your team are involved in. And as such, you are required to be an optimist. Buoyancy means being positive, positive and always positive. Don’t waste your time looking for things that went wrong; spend it looking for things that went well, and then build on them. Leaders must be able to manage upwards. Never display blaming your boss behavior, which many people do, you will never empower yourself to become a strong leader. Don’t provide false compliments, but rather build a relationship with your boss the same way you would with any other colleague. Your boss is also human. He needs to roll with the decisions and be openly supportive. Share your concerns privately.
The second “B” leader you should have is Belief. Having a firm belief in what you say and do is imperative. He must be faithful to his assumptions and convictions that he considers true with respect to people, concepts or things. How is it possible for one to lead others without a firm belief in what they are doing? Impossible! People will see it before long, and you, your reputation, and your leadership skills will be completely undermined. So understand what your product offering is; explore it well and align the mission and vision with your values and clearly determine for yourself if it is something you can fully believe in and support.
The third “B” is Behavior. Leaders must display emotionally balanced behavior. They must be recognized listeners and must never overreact to situations. Leaders must display behaviors that instill trust in people. This behavior includes strong decision-making skills and the ability to accept or share responsibility for successes and failures. One must display respectful behaviors such as being on time for meetings, respecting the opinions of others, and being able to maintain objectivity. The way a leader reacts and responds to challenges often sets the pace for team members. If teams perceive that the leader is overwhelmed, stressed, or losing effectiveness, team members in turn may become distracted and ineffective.
Leaders must constantly strive for optimal performance. This includes the performance of themselves, company teams and all staff.