The Art of Leadership

This article includes content from Business News Daily, Levo League and About.com

What is leadership?

The word "leadership" may bring to mind images of power and authority, but that's not always the case. Think about a leader in your life-perhaps a friend, co-worker, or family member. Are they in a position of authority? Not necessarily.

How do we define leadership?

Business News Daily asked 30 business owners and experts to define what leadership means to them. Their ideas may just lead you to create your own definition of leadership. Take a look at what they said.

"Leadership is having a vision, sharing that vision and inspiring others to support your vision while creating their own."

"Leadership is the ability to guide others without force into a direction or decision that leaves them still feeling empowered and accomplished."

"A true leader is secure in creating a framework that encourages others to tap into their own skills and ideas and freely contribute to the whole of the project or company."

"Leadership is actions committed by a person or group that produce an output or result. It simply helps people to get things done. It is not based on position in a hierarchy."

"Leadership is employing your skills and knowledge, leveraged by your attitude to get the results you desire."

Leadership is like art. There is more than one way to define leadership, just as there is more than one way to be a leader. Tiffany Dufu of Levo says that a leader is someone who uses their leadership, who "inspires people to live their best selves and their best lives," and that "artful leadership is knowing others and knowing yourself."



How do we become better leaders?

We want to see our Aggies across the globe leading the pack in establishing the qualities necessary for a happy, successful life. Whether you are in a technical position of leadership or not, you can be a leader everyday. There are many ways to improve your leadership-all of which can be started right now.

Learn More About Your Leadership Style. Understanding your current leadership style is essential. What are your strengths? Which areas need some improvement? Once you've determine which areas need some work, you can begin looking for ways to improve your leadership abilities.

Serve As a Role Model. Inspiring leaders exemplify the behaviors and characteristics that they encourage in their followers. They walk the walk and talk the talk. As a result, group members admire these leaders and work to emulate these behaviors.

Have a Positive Attitude. Leaders who facilitate change have an upbeat, optimistic attitude that serves as a source of inspiration for followers. Even when things look bleak and your followers start to feel disheartened, try to stay positive. This does not mean viewing things through rose-colored glasses. It simply means maintaining a sense of optimism and hope in the face of challenges.

Listen and Communicate Effectively. Good leaders should express sincere care and concern for the members of their group both verbally and non-verbally. By keeping the lines of communication open, these leaders can ensure that group members feel able to make contributions and receive recognition for their achievements.

Encourage Creativity. One way to foster creativity is to offer challenges to group members, making sure that the goals are within the grasp of their abilities. The purpose of this type of exercise is to get people to grow and stretch their limits without being discouraged.

Keep Trying New Things. Who says leadership is a one-way relationship? As you work toward honing your leadership skills, don't forget to look to your followers for feedback and inspiration. Pay attention to the things that have been effective in the past and always be on the lookout for new ways to inspire, motivate, and reward group members.

Go get 'em, Aggies. We're rooting for you!

How to Ace Your Next Phone Interview

Article Originally Posted on Levo League

Photo Courtesy of Levo League

 

As a stellar would-be employee, you want to sail through the interview process. But before you think that all you need is a knockout résumé and a killer outfit, think again. Nowadays, there’s a step before the in-person interview: the phone interview.


“The global economy means more and more cross-border hiring, where an initial phone interview becomes even more important,” says Sanjeev Agrawal, founder of Collegefeed, a career marketplace for college students.


Employers are increasingly opting for phone interviews to screen potential new hires. By doing so, companies can sort through candidates without committing to the expense and time required for on-site meet-ups.

A survey conducted by OfficeTeam, a staffing agency based in Menlo Park, Calif., polled 515 human resources managers, the majority (57%) of whom reported that phone interviews happen “very often.”


Furthermore, Paul Bailo, author of “The Essential Phone Interview Handbook,” says, “All jobs start with a phone call.” Meaning: Even if you aren’t scheduled for a formal phone interview, any conversation with a potential employer, however brief it might be, makes an impression.

Not being face-to-face with someone doesn’t mean that you don’t still need to bring your A-game. You might have the best intentions, but what you say and how you say it (tone, pace, inflection, etc.) can easily be misinterpreted. Here is some step-by-step advice to help you give good voice.


Step 1: Prepare, prepare, prepare

Step 2: Take care of the basics

Photo Courtesy of Levo League

Step 3: Put on your game face

Step 4: Take advantage of the invisibility factor

Step 5: Remember the 3 C’s–concision, concentration and courtesy

Step 6: Follow up

“It takes days to get ready for a phone interview,” explains Bailo. On day one, he advises, do all your research. Take to Google to find out everything you need to know—and more—about the company. Then, on day two, write out a list of questions, like, “What specific qualities and skills are you looking for in a job candidate?” or “I read that the company ____ (insert recent company success here). How do you see this position contributing to the continued success of the organization?” This will demonstrate your interest in the company, and the job, and show that you’re a highly qualified applicant. Agrawal points out, “Phone interviews are a great opportunity to find out more details about the job, the company, the work environment and the team, as job descriptions are notoriously vague.”

Another tip: Find an online photograph of the person who is interviewing you. Search on LinkedIn or on the company’s website. It’s much easier to talk with someone when you know what he/she looks like.

Nix any noisy interruptions such as barking dogs, crying children or blaring car horns. Get everyone out of the house, or make sure to have an isolated room where you can lock the door.
If possible, use a landline—a cell phone connection is less reliable, and the call could always get dropped. No landline? Then make sure that your cell phone is fully charged and that you take the call in a place where your reception is at its best. And remember to get the interviewer’s phone number in case you get disconnected

Dress as you would for a face-to-face interview; you’re more likely to feel and sound professional if you look the part.

Remember to smile: You can’t sound bored or uninterested if you have a smile on your face. Put a mirror on your desk to see your facial expressions when you talk. You have no body language with which to reinforce your personality; it’s all about the voice. To keep yours sounding tip-top, swallow a teaspoon of honey or suck on a lozenge one hour before the phone interview to reduce dry throat, and have a glass of water nearby during the actual interview.

Phone interviews are a lot like open-book tests: You can have all the information you need to know (about the company and the person conducting the interview right in front of you). Also, to cut down on the papers-rustling-in-background noise, tape a copy of your résumé and job description to the wall, at eye level, for easy reference.


Concision: Phone interviews are shorter than in-person interviews, which means you have less time to make a good impression. So avoid long-winded answers that could make you lose your audience. Keep your responses to no more than three sentences. The day before the interview, practice asking your questions aloud and, while you’re at it, rehearse your answers to some potential questions that the interviewer might ask you. (Think old standbys like, “What are your strengths?” and even the open-ended “Tell me about yourself….”)

Concentration: Stay focused and take notes during the call. It’s not the time to organize your mail or reply to emails. “If you feel you are easily distracted and drawn to multitasking, remove or turn off anything you might be tempted to use,” says Bailo. “You must listen carefully so that your responses are on point.”

Courtesy: Be professional and be polite. “At the end of the call, ask, ‘Do my qualifications meet the company’s needs?’ Then ask when you can meet with them in person,” suggests Bailo. And, Agrawal adds, “however the interview goes, end with ‘thank you.’ The last few words of a conversation are often the most remembered.”


Twenty-four to 48 hours after the interview ends, send an email thanking the interviewer for the opportunity and summarizing what you spoke about during the phone interview. The subject line should be: “Your name and the position you applied for.”

If you want this job, now is the time to restate your interest. And, if you really want to appear smarter than most, include a link to an interesting news article about the company that you already found during your preparation research.

Article Originally Posted on Levo League

5 Last Things to Consider Before Accepting an Offer

Photo of person signing courtesy of Shutterstock.

You spent days mulling over your resume, weeks waiting for a response, and long, silent pauses mentally articulating each interview answer—all before enduring another seemingly endless wait to hear back about the potential position.

But the minute you receive an offer, everything is full speed ahead. Once your potential employer wants you to put a signature on that line, things start moving fast. And why would you hesitate? This is the moment you’ve been working and waiting for—you’ve finally landed an awesome job.

For the most part, you’re probably ready to make a decision. By now, you’ve likely talked to your future boss, gauged the office culture, and asked about your responsibilities and how your success will be measured.

What’s left? Well, accepting a new job is a big decision—and you don’t want to find yourself regretting your decision just a few months down the road. So, before you pounce on that new role, slow down and consider these last few factors to make sure you’re 100% confident in your decision.

1. Is There Anything Else You Want to Negotiate?
2. Is There Anything About Your Compensation Package That You Don’t Understand?
3. Do the Benefits Fit Your Needs?
4. Are You Ready for That Commute?
5. Is the Timing Right?

If you’re ready to sign on the dotted line, you've probably already negotiated your salary (and if you haven’t, what’s stopping you?). But don’t forget that, depending on your situation, you may be able to adjust your offer in other ways.

For example, maybe you just received an offer at a startup that’s just getting off the ground—and the base salary is just so-so. Before you make a decision either way, think about other factors that could tip the scales, like flexible work hours or profit sharing once the company hits a specified benchmark.

There are also possibilities in the corporate world—like relocation assistance or the option to occasionally work remotely. Either way, if you’re hesitating because of your compensation, make sure to consider all of your options.

When I was first offered a startup job, the compensation package stated that it included profit sharing, but didn’t specify what that meant, when it would start, or how it would get paid. (And because of that, I never actually saw a percentage of those profits.)

It was also part of a confusing list of benefits that were each given a cash value and added to the total proposed salary at the bottom of the page—including bi-weekly apartment cleanings ($4,000 value) and a business cell phone ($1,000 value). They were presented as dollar amounts added into my salary (which made it appear enticing), but in reality, they wouldn’t actually show up in my paycheck.

In the excitement of getting a job offer, it’s tempting to gloss over these slightly confusing details, assuming that you’ll figure everything out later on down the road. But when it’s not spelled out in solid terms—or you don’t understand it completely—it can work against you when your expectations aren’t met.

If you haven’t seen the details of the company’s benefits package, ask for more information. I’ve experienced both sides of this—for one job, I was given an entire packet of information, detailing exactly what was covered, co-pays, deductibles, and so on. For another job, I didn’t receive any benefits information until after I’d already signed the offer letter.

But by asking for the information beforehand, you can make sure you get what you need, whether that means full coverage for your spouse or children or enough notice for you to purchase your own independent health insurance plan. (And it can help you realize if you won’t be getting what you need—like health coverage or retirement.)

For my first job out of college, I had a 30-minute commute, which I didn’t think was too bad for a city like Atlanta.

Unfortunately, I’d gauged the half-hour commute on a weekend, when I had my interview. When I started making the trip during regular work hours, it easily turned into more (sometimes way more) than an hour. It was terrible—and it ended up playing a big role in my decision to move on from that job.

Before you make your final decision, evaluate how it will affect your daily routine. For some, an hour commute may be worth it for that dream job or to live on a big piece of land out in the country. For others, that trip will drive you crazy—and eventually erode your job satisfaction.

It may be a small detail, but make sure to consider when, should you make that decision, you’ll begin your new job. Your future employer is probably eager to get you on board as soon as possible—but is it possible for you?

When I started my current job, I wanted to put in my two weeks’ notice and start the new gig as quickly as possible in order to make the best first impression. (I was also fully convinced that asking for a start date more than two weeks out would result in the company revoking the offer.)

What I didn’t take into consideration was that my new job required me to move across the state. So, while I was finishing out a job in one city, I was remotely searching for apartments in a city two hours away—and when I found one, my lease didn’t allow me to move into it until a week after I was slated to start my new job. If I’d thought ahead, I would have given myself another week to make the move without feeling rushed

The point is, figure out what is truly realistic for you, and don’t be afraid to ask for it. (It makes a big difference!)

By now, you should have all the information you need to make a well-informed decision. Maybe, after addressing all your concerns with the hiring manager or HR, this job just doesn’t feel right. Or maybe everything checks out, and you can’t wait to get started. Either way, don’t be afraid to trust your gut (and your carefully collected information, of course).

Have you found this information helpful? Why or why not?