Every leadership role has its own complicated features – there’s nuance and variance to every company, team, and managerial role. But no matter who you’re supervising, what goals you’re hitting, and what kind of impression you want to make, UPenn has a 15-part leadership checklist that everyone can learn from. Here, we’ll break down what these tools mean and how to implement them regularly.
1. “Articulate a Vision”
More importantly than anything else, leaders are expected to have a feel for what a team can accomplish and create goals that fit in with their subordinates’ skill levels. This can be a one-month plan, six-month plan, two-year plan, or any length of time it’ll take to complete the project. It might involve multiple moving parts and multiple deadlines, but what you’re doing and why you’re doing it has to be clear.
2. “Think and Act Strategically”
For every action, there should be five Ws – who, what, when, where, and most importantly, why. Strategy is key for a good leader, and like a good chess player, you’ve got to plan ahead for whatever contingencies may come your team’s way. Whether it’s a team’s skepticism, a lull in the market, industry changes, or other hindrances, you should feel confident that you can navigate it all.
3. “Honor the Room”
While a leader should command a room, they should also respect those in the room. To Wharton Business School, this point means expressing “confidence in and support for” those in the room with you no matter what room you’re in. This also means that you should be a solid listener, a stable force, and a reliable advice-giver.
4. “Take Charge”
This leadership tool might seem straightforward, but taking charge can be more complex than it sounds. This requires a “bias for action” rather than a watch-and-wait attitude. And if you’re in a position where your team is on the line, taking charge means taking responsibility or accountability for whatever your actions might lead to.
5. “Act Decisively”
Making a choice and sticking to it is the hallmark of a solid leader, and you’ve got to check this box off your leadership list if you want to earn the respect of your team. Wavering or being insecure doesn’t bode well for a team looking for reassurance, especially in times of stress.
6. “Communicate Persuasively”
A leader shouldn’t be manipulative, but they should be persuasive. This means having a communication style “that people will not forget.” This includes being clear, concise, calm and collected. Be as organized in your communication as you would be in your work.
7. “Motivate the Troops”
Like any good leader, you’ve got to make sure your people are working with and for you. To do this, Wharton notes, it’s important to recognize everyone’s best abilities and have them play to their strengths. Also, weighing your company’s values and mission statement is important for integrating these rules into your pre-existing frame so you don’t facilitate your team’s growth in the wrong direction.
8. “Embrace the Front Lines”
Never lose touch with the daily grind of your team, lest you become an ineffectual leader. You’ll never be taken seriously as a leader if you’re unable to empathize with the narrative of their everyday work, you’ll never be taken seriously – so make an effort to be involved.
9. “Build Leadership in Others”
Modeling leadership isn’t enough. As a leader, you should develop leadership skills in others. This involves teaching about how to encourage and inspire teammates, make clear decisions, listen well, and take the helm when needed.
10. “Manage Relations”
Creating rapport with your team is important as a leader, but being a leader isn’t just about making friends. You have to be able to navigate the rough patches of your own relationships with managers above you and staff below you while also resolving conflict within your team.
11. “Identify Personal Implications”
The reason employees are inspired to help their companies hit goals isn’t just a paycheck – they have visions that fit into the larger scheme of a company. Leadership means finding out the reasons someone wakes up in the morning happy and helping make their role into one of them.
12. “Convey Your Character”
In every good story, you should show rather than tell, and the same is to be said for a great leader. Display integrity, strength, and morality in everything you do with your team because the alternative can damage your relationships. In a sense, the more you act like a jerk, the more people will start to believe that’s who you are.
13. “Dampen Over-Optimism”
Taking the pep out of someone’s step can be a grueling part of being a leader, but it’s a necessary one. A team lead is like a parent trying to keep your kid’s expectations in check, so they aren’t heartbroken by reality. Your kid probably won’t like it, but it teaches them a valuable lesson about how to manage risk and be prepared for the worst while still aiming for the best.
14. “Build a Diverse Top Team”
A leader can’t do everything on their own, and though they should know how to do some of the things they expect from their team, they should also know their gaps in knowledge and how to fill them. Those closest to you need to be able to do all the things you can’t, so together, you can do anything.
15. “Place Common Interest First”
Being a leader isn’t just about thinking what you say goes. In fact, leaders have to be a voice for everyone and put the needs of the team, company, and bottom line before their own. Guide others by focusing on the external drivers rather than the internal ones, and be as selfless as you can without sacrificing your personal health and wellness.
