I never thought of myself as a leader, certainly not when I started out in business 3 years ago! But I have noticed in others who I consider leaders there are certain qualities that make them stand out. When they enter the room, they have that ‘je ne sais quoi’….they often stand in the background and are quiet. Listening , taking in their surroundings, watching others. Leaders who I admire aren’t usually loud or domineering. This applies to how you can approach social media. Especially Twitter. You can show yourself as the ‘go to’ person for whatever your area of expertise is.
Here are my observations on what characteristics leaders have:
1. They don’t get involved in controversy – They stick to the core message that they wish to represent or the values they want to be known for. They don’t sit idly by either. They take action. Get things done. They can turn a controversial topic into a positive one. They can spot opportunities a mile away by the way! If you have a big following and always talk about social media or what it’s like to be a small business owner, then don’t start tweeting about soccer or controversial topics. Your followers are following you because of what content you are sharing and they are following YOU. So be yourself, share what you think your followers would like to see.
2. They aren’t afraid to admit their mistakes. This is a skill in itself. No one likes to admit that they have failed or made an error but it happens. We are all human, even top leaders, celebrities and people in power! Yes really! So if you put up a tweet and make a typo or your link isn’t working, say ‘Thank you for pointing that out for me’ and correct it.
3. They often assist others. Kindness is a huge characteristic I see in leaders. They are always willing to chat to others no matter who they are. (My Dad who passed away a few years ago was always able to sit with the wealthiest in the room and the roughest people in the room. He never judged, treated all people the same.
4. They don’t bitch, get involved in arguments or put others down. There is nothing worse than hearing someone bitch about others. Makes you wonder what they are saying about you when you are leaving the room! Just be nice! Same on social media. I don’t want to follow someone who is bitching about others. Keep negativity and hate away from my timeline.
5. Leaders will always bring others with them on their journey. They are not selfish. Usually there is a huge following behind them. A good leader will share their knowledge and teach others how to succeed not just climb over others to get to the top. They are always approachable and ready to assist in some way. Don’t forget people will always remember how you made them feel. People buy from People.
