Are You a Benevolent Leader or an Authoritarian Manager?

Have you ever wondered what creates success? Beyond the opportunities, the background, and the vagaries of life? Because yes, there is a recipe for success... And it is very different from what one might imagine at first sight. Because real success cannot be built only on the outside, quite the contrary. It must first come from within, from our own inner leadership. The very good news? There are keys to building that in itself.

It's not always easy to be a good leader. And leadership and management are two different things. Being a good leader means that we must be an example of qualities, be able to “show the example”, to inspire our colleagues, our friends or even our family! Of course, you don't have to be perfect right away… It's a path with many stages and being happy with the journey is an important part of that.

Developing your receptivity is the key. Indeed, receptivity helps to understand the information well in the first place, and therefore, to find the right answer, the right decisions to make. This can be true at work, but also in everything you do, in every situation.

Sometimes, as a leader, you don't know all the answers and that's okay. But you should always stay open and listen to what others have to share. If you don't listen enough, you'll miss elements of the big picture, and people might start to see you as a stubborn person and they'll share their ideas less and less, which can also lead to trust issues, etc. But by listening well from the start, you'll be able to establish a harmonious dynamic wherever you go.

You are not perfect, and that is normal, because the very basis of life is evolution. If you have altruistic and constructive values, your foundations will be ready for your growth. But if you worry too much about what others think, you might start being too nice for example… And an overly benevolent leader might miss important steps along the way and not be able to fulfill their mission to also represent a force of justice and authority, or even to defend the interests of their company or its employees in a resilient and structured way.

By multiplying good examples, you build trust. With confidence, people will follow you. One day, when you've been a good example many times over, people will naturally listen to you because they'll have proof that what you're doing works and it's always backed by good intentions. It also means that setting a good example can include apologizing or correcting mistakes with a good attitude. This way, you will have built a naturally balanced authority, without even asking…

Knowing that “problems = solutions” is one thing. But applying it in everyday life is another story. You have to build that way of thinking, that attitude where you see problems as an opportunity to learn new things. It requires repetition and, of course, facing difficulties, rather than running away from them.

To be truly kind and caring (but in a balanced way), you must be able to recognize the strengths and qualities of the people around you. And more than recognizing their qualities, you also need to nurture those qualities as well as your own qualities. It means encouraging others when they are doing well, giving them sincere compliments. Neither too much nor too little, and also with yourself.

If you apply these keys, success will only be a matter of time… And it will always come from within before manifesting itself around you.

To learn more, you can check out our online courses here.