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!

The Mentor Effect: Going from Mentee to Mentor

Original article by Levo League

by Akansha Agrawal

I have entered into a full cycle of being a mentee and a mentor: my mentor, Vivian is a Cal alumni, and my mentee Andrea is a sophomore economics student. My relationship with Vivian has been so extremely gratifying that it inspired me to become a mentor — a phenomenon I like to call the ”mentor effect.’ Here’s what I’ve learned along the way.

Utilize Your School’s Alumni Network

I came across Vivian’s profile on Cal’s mentorship program through the alumni network, and I knew she would be the perfect fit for me: we grew up in the same city, we share a similar academic background and we were both passionate about the same industry. Your school’s alumni network is a perfect starting point in your search for a mentor, because chances are you will find someone who shares a similar background and interests.

Discuss Your Goals and Mission

After a brief exchange through emails, Vivian and I had our first casual meeting where I discussed my interests and goals for the future. It’s important to identify and communicate to your mentor how she or he could best help. I remember when I first heard about the Levo League, I was so eager to get involved that I emailed Vivian right away — I knew she could best advise me on how to reach out to the team.

Show Your Appreciation

A mentorship should not be one-sided, and so as a mentee, show your appreciation by writing a nice thank-you note or treating your mentor to lunch. Stay in touch regularly, even if you don’t need new advice or help.

Give Back

I have found mentoring Andrea to be even more fulfilling than I could imagine. I learn from Vivian’s mentoring tactics and apply it to my mentorship with Andrea, hoping I can provide her that support system Vivian provides me. As discussed elsewhere on this site, you are never too young to be a mentor, so don’t let age or career level hold you back!

Original article by Levo League

If you are interested in becoming a mentor to current students or recent graduates at Utah State, please contact alumni@usu.edu. 

How To Make Your Business Card A Keeper

Article Originally Featured on Levo League

Photo Courtesy of Levo League

Business cards are one of the most affordable ways to get your information into a prospects hands. The problem is that most business cards end up lost in a pile on a desk, tossed in a junk drawer or worse, thrown away. Business cards only work if your prospect keeps it so he can call you when needed. Here are some tips to making your business card a resource people hold on to.

Multipurpose it: Authors do this by giving away bookmarks with their book’s information. Turning your business card into something people can use, such as a bookmark, ticket, mileage tracker or score keeper, increases the odds they’ll hold on to it.

Make it helpful: Realtors and mortgage often include a chart on their cards that allows people to determine mortgage costs at different interest rates. Giving helpful information related to your business on your card increases the chances they’ll be filed instead of lost. 

For example, a cooking store can add measurement conversions or an editor can offer corrections for most common writing errors. I have a list of common work-at-home scams to avoid on one of mine. Other options include a calendar and important local numbers.
Give it value: People like a good deal. Turn your business card into a coupon or rewards card for a discount or free offer. Take it step further and give away several cards at a time letting your prospects and clients give them away for easy referrals.

Add a QR code: While there is debate about the value of a QR code, for people who live mostly in a digital world, the chances of them holding on to a business card decreases with each new technological advance. Make it easy for them to hold on to your information by allowing them access your business online with a simple scan of the card. If you don’t want a QR code, consider an SMS code, in which card holders can text the code to receive information about your business via text.

Once you have a card people will want to keep, give them away. Too many business owners are stingy with their business cards. But they are designed to be shared, so use them when you meet people for business or pleasure, as note paper when you give someone information or directions, and leave them in public places such as on bulletin boards.

Article Originally Featured on Levo League

Lighten Up! How Being Witty Online Can Help Your Career

Article Originally Featured on Levo League

Photo Courtesy of Levo League

For some time now, individuals, products and companies have been realising the benefits of using social media to catapult themselves into the limelight. For most modern consumers, their phone, tablet or laptop is never more than a few feet away – so what better way to engage a reader or customer than by infiltrating their social media feed?

On a personal level, it’s a truth universally acknowledged that being popular is nice. And if you say you don’t strive to be well liked, that’s fine, but we know you’re fibbing! So using a little joke here, a sarcastic comment there, will often be the main trigger for the likes and re-tweets to come flooding in. On a business level, however, being witty online is an invaluable marketing strategy.
So, whether you’re an earnest writer, peddling your wares; a purveyor of PR or the CEO of a global company, how (and why) can you use your sparkling wit to get ahead of the game in your career? Although in no way a definitive break down of how to become a stand-up comic, follow these tips next time you take to the keyboard and you’ll be laughing!

THE WHY:

Engaging with your audience will give them a reason to keep coming back.
You could have the greatest story or product in the world to share, but if you’re not engaging your reader, no-one will ever discover it. The truth is that funny sticks: a person is far more likely to remember something which made them laugh than something which made them feel mildly interested or even indifferent.

Funny spreads, too. 
It’s important to remember that funny spreads, too. Laughter lines online, such as YouTube videos, go viral for a reason – because people want to share them with their friends. This works in a similar way when it comes to social media. How many times have you asked a friend “have you seen that..? It’s so funny!” Your goal should be to become that person or brand people talk about over drinks.

Being funny will allow you to break down the barrier. 
Funny things are often humorous because people can relate to them. The more you can directly engage with your target audience, the more interest they will take in what you are trying to share. By sharing your witty nature with your readers, it’s far easier to break down the barrier between you or your brand and your consumer. The ultimate goal is to be more of a friend than a business.

Humour will raise your visibility and make you stand out. 
As always, you should be standing out from your competitors. Using a clever pun or witty line will set you poles apart from those who use standard industry jargon. The key, as always, is to avoid being boring!

THE HOW:

Be engaging and ask questions. 
Make your status updates and tweets engaging. Asking a question often encourages interaction from followers, and draws consumers in. So, instead of “our new product is out now.” Why not try “have you seen our new product yet?” A simple change of phrase creates a whole new tone for you.

Create an online environment your audience can relate to.
Try to make the things you post relevant to everyone. The most shared posts are those which your followers know their friends will relate to. So, even if it’s not directly linked to your product or page, just making your reader feel as though you’re on the same team can work wonders for future relationships. For example “don’t you just hate it when you dare to debut your new jelly shoes but it’s hailing by 12pm?” will cause your reader to empathise and react to you.

Be cheeky without crossing the line. 
Don’t be afraid to be naughty. As long as you don’t cross a line, using naughty puns or cheeky anecdotes can also engage your readers. Anything from a mildly endearing “Hi good lookin. How are we all doing today???’” to something a little more daring will catch your audience’s attention in the sea of tweets and updates they scroll through every day.

Understand that healthy competition can be useful. 
Everyone likes a little healthy competition, so why not engage in some light hearted banter with your competitors? Perhaps a humorous response to their latest campaign or a satirical take on their own tweets will draw the attention of both yours and their followers. After all, it’s all about proving to your reader that there’s a human behind your online persona.

Learn from the best. 
Adding a little lightness and wit to your social media interactions will guarantee a rise in interactions and reach. As the power of social media reaches its peak, it’s definitely time for you to muscle in on this handy and fun little technique. If you need inspiration, there are a plethora of companies out there who have it just right. So, inject a little comedy into your every day posts – they do say laughter’s the best medicine!

Article Originally Featured on Levo League

Want to Quit Your Job and Work for Yourself? Follow These 3 Steps First

Photo Via Levo League

How do you confidently make the leap from corporate employee to entrepreneur or consultant?

If you want to make it on your own, there are three important steps many successful entrepreneurs take before they head out. 

Reduce your costs

Live minimally. Gain freedom from your job by not needing the paycheck. 

The more expensive your lifestyle, the riskier it is to jump to something new and uncertain that could have a potentially low income at start. 

Build a nest egg

Tuck away a little bit of money each paycheck to save for your future expenses. A great rule of thumb is to save enough to cover six months of expenses.

Hustle on the side

It’s called moonlighting, and it’s a great way to test whether something you want to do is feasible. The best time to try out your new project or company is when you have the structure of your current job to help support you.

For the full article click here.

Article originally posted on Levo League by Brazen Life.