How to prove to your boss that you are a leader

We associate leadership with a specific role or job title but true leadership is the ability to influence people to achieve better results for an organization or group of people at any level. This is because we all can look and act like a leader, even if you are not in a leadership role, you could be a leader for all you know. But how do you demonstrate that to your boss?

Here are some guidelines to help you demonstrate your leadership traits to your boss and move up the ladder quickly.

Deliver superior performance
Being able to deliver is a mark of reliability. No matter what you promise to deliver, deliver more so that managers know they can count on you. This makes you a strong candidate for leadership in the future as managers know that you are reliable and you deliver to the core. Make it your trait. 'The employees who stand out as leaders are willing to do more than they are asked.'

Help others
Be resourceful. Help co-workers coming to you for help, it could be that they have figured out that you excel at something, or they were sent to you as a knowledgeable resource. Take up the task and help them! All this will not be in vain, you will develop a good reputation among your colleagues. You might even be assigned bigger and better responsibilities as you would have proven you can do more than you are capable of by helping others.

Take initiative
Don't sit in the corner and wait to be told what to do. Take initiative and do what others are not doing. It could be as simple as volunteering to be a leader of a project, it doesn't have to be mammoth it can be a month-long project. Organizations are increasingly valuing innovation at work as they want employees who can think on their feet and take action without waiting for someone to tell them what to do.

Networking
Even though you are trying to exude leadership traits in your company so your manager can keep you in the forefront for a possible promotion, don't stop there. Opportunities are hidden everywhere and you should be able to seize them. So network outside your company and even outside your industry. This will expand your possibilities for something greater elsewhere.

It's not always as easy and glamorous as it seems to be when you are a leader or in a management role you might find out that you don't like this leadership thing once you are on the inside. But it's never foolish to prepare for a transition that could take your career to great heights. What's important is making certain it is what you want and you understand the responsibility that comes with it. So go ahead and put that extra work in, let your leadership traits shine through at work.

If you are looking for a leadership role in your career, we can help you! Communicate Recruitment is a specialized recruitment agency with a footprint all over South Africa. We specialize in Finance, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Freight jobs. Register or apply on our website today!