10 Simple ways to Become a Leader

Success is some total of your personality,behaviour and many other traits which one possess.One important element is that you should have pleaseing personality which is liked by the team you are working with. This comes with some personal qulaities which are  simple, and yet, we often lose sight of the simple things - things that not only make us human, but can actually help us become more successful. Below are the ten such important principles to become a better leader:

1. Listening

 Listening is the foundation of any good relationship. Great leaders listen to what their customers and prospects want and need, and they listen to the challenges those customers face. They listen to colleagues and are open to new ideas. They listen to shareholders, investors, and competitors.Most often this brings solution to problem which you are looking for,but just being impetiant listenr we ofetn loose this opportunity. This one quality will make you popular and help you take better decision.

2. Tell a story

After listening, leaders need to tell great stories in order to sell their products. Storytelling is what captivates people and drives them to take action. Whether you're telling a story to one prospect over
lunch, a boardroom full of people, or thousands of people through an online video - storytelling wins customers. Remember it shall attract your listeners when it is true,still better if you yourselve have experienced it.

3. Authenticity

Great leaders are who they say they are, and they have integrity beyond compare. Vulnerability and humility are hallmarks of the authentic leader and create a positive energy. Customers, employees, and media all want to help an authentic person to succeed. There used to be a divide between one’s public self and private self, but the social internet has blurred that line. Tomorrow's leaders are transparent about who they are online, merging their personal and professional lives together.

4. Transparency

 Openness and honesty lead to happier staff, customers and colleagues. More important, transparency makes it a lot easier to sleep at night - unworried about what you said to whom. A happy and cool leader is  more productive  this will come easily when you are transparent too..

5. Team Playing

No matter how small or big  your organization is, you have to  interact with many people every day. Letting others shine, encouraging innovative ideas, practicing humility, and following  rules for working in teams,it will help you become a more likeable leader.

6.  Be Responsive

The best leaders are responsive to their customers, staff, investors, and prospects. Every stakeholder today is a potential viral sparkplug, for better or for worse, and the winning leader is one who recognizes this and insists upon a culture of responsiveness. Whether the communication is email, voice mail, a note or a a tweet, responding shows you care and gives your customers and colleagues a say, allowing them to make a positive impact on the organization.

7. Be Adoptive

There has never been a faster-changing marketplace than the one we live in today. Leaders must be flexible in managing changing opportunities and challenges and nimble enough to pivot at the right moment. Stubbornness is no longer desirable to most organizations. Instead, humility and the willingness to adapt mark a great leader.

8. Passion

No one is tired beacuse of more work but tires easily by not liking the work.Those who love what they do don’t have to work a day in their lives. People who are able to bring passion to their business have a remarkable advantage, as that passion is contagious to customers and colleagues alike. Finding and increasing your passion will absolutely affect your bottom line.

9. Surprise and Delight

Most people like surprises in their day-to-day lives. Likeable leaders underpromise and overdeliver, assuring that customers and staff are surprised in a positive way. There are a plethora of ways to surprise without spending extra money - a smile, We all like to be delighted — surprise and delight create incredible word-of-mouth marketing opportunities.

10. Express Gratefulness

Good leaders are ever grateful for the people who contribute to their opportunities and success. Being appreciative and saying thank you to mentors, customers, colleagues, and other stakeholders keeps leaders humble, appreciated, and well received.

Ajay Singh

Six Steps to Resolve Project Conflict

A manager once told me that there could be a better manager if they had better people to manage.

Of course, good people managers can work with all kinds of people, and don't shy away from the challenge of working through difficulty. This is especially true when there is conflict on a project. You need to face the conflict and not ignore it. Ignoring it only makes the problem worse. The earlier you face it, the easier it will be to resolve.

Conflict can occur with your managers, your peers or your staff. Here are some examples of conflict you might experience on projects.

•   Your boss is frustrated with progress and takes it out on you openly, in front of others in your team.
•  Your colleague wants something from you that you can't provide, or can't do for them within the timeframe required so they get angry. 
•   Your staff think you're being unrealistic about timeframes, so they handle it badly by raising their voice and being obstructive.

When conflict occurs, take these steps:

•    Take a time out. If you or the other person is getting heated, tell them you need to take five minutes to collect your thoughts. Even though you asked for the five minutes, it is really for the other party to cool off as well. Make a coffee,a glass of water and deep breath  or go for a walk. It might be surprising how a short walk or dep breath can help you relax. This will help you both to calm down and reflect on what has happened.
•  Defuse the situation. When you restart your conversation, start with a disarming comment such as "Sorry. I have been under pressure." or "Let's start over again.". This will make the atmosphere more positive.
• Identify the cause of the conflict. Many times when emotion is high you may lose site of the actual cause of the conflict. State your perception of the cause and see if the other party agrees.
•   Solve the problem. The nature of "confrontation" is that you need to "confront" the problem and solve it. Both parties need to work together to resolve it constructively. Discuss the various solutions to the problem and try to agree on the pros and cons of each before deciding on the best course of action.
•  Observe body language. While all this is happening, you need to focus on your body language. Use open stances. Take your hands out of your pockets and never fold your arms. Try and use slow hand movements. Use a passive voice. Maintain good eye contact. Listen carefully and watch their body language as well.
•  Agree on a course of action - and follow-through. This helps to ensure the conflict is resolved and also builds trust that will help defuse similar situations in the future.

You can utilize these simple techniques to turn a conflict into a team-building and learning opportunity.