Leaning Into Leadership Skills To Love Your Job Again

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Oftentimes, people find themselves in a perfect storm of excitement and nervousness when they start a new job. But how long does it take for that feeling to turn into boredom or discontent? Making the same commute, to the same office, doing the same repetitive tasks, can easily lead to employees falling out of love with a job they were once enthusiastic about. 

One way to fall back in love with your job is to find ways to be a leader in the workplace. When you think of the word leader, what comes to mind? A CEO? A team manager? Many people think leadership is tied to job titles, when in fact, anyone can be a leader in the workplace. Olivia, for instance, was a member of the creative team in a small marketing firm. Although she wasn’t in a managerial position, she consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership. She initiated collaborative projects with her colleagues, mentored new employees, fostered a positive team culture, and encouraged everyone she worked with. Soon, she became the go-to person when coworkers had questions, needed assistance with a project, or just needed a little motivation. Managers noticed her positive attitude and willingness to help, and it wasn’t long before she was promoted to a supervisory position. Leadership can emerge from any role and is oftentimes rewarded. Learn more about developing leadership habits here.

Learning what it means to be a leader in your organization is step one in figuring out what opportunities are available to you. To determine how to best identify your leadership skills and incorporate them into your current position, reach out to the Wilbanks Consulting Group (WCG).

What are your Leadership Strengths and Weaknesses?

The Indeed editorial team noted, “As one of the key soft skills employers value, leadership often incorporates several other personality traits and communication abilities that anyone can learn and practice.” 

An article published by the Indeed team lists 10 leadership skills that are worth developing regardless of your job title. These include decisiveness, integrity, creativity, flexibility, positive attitude, communication, relationship-building, problem solving, dependability, and the ability to teach and mentor. Chances are you already have some of the skills on this list. 

Spend time in personal reflection to determine which skills you already hold and which you’d like to improve. Then, take the list to a trusted colleague or supervisor and ask them to indicate which skills they believe you already have. Compare the results to determine your leadership strengths and weaknesses. This is surprisingly difficult for some, so if you’re having trouble, a consultant at WCG is happy to talk with you during a free 30 minute consultation. 

How Leadership Can Help You Love Your Job

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Redesigning your own leadership strategy can help you learn to love your job while giving you the satisfaction of helping others. Once you’ve completed the activity above to identify your leadership skills, it’s time to determine how they can be used within the workplace to improve not only your day-to-day experience, but also your relationship with colleagues. 

Consider each of these leadership skills and think about creative ways you can incorporate them into your day-to-day job.

Decisiveness

Being a decisive employee will free your headspace from unnecessary overthinking while allowing other employees to quickly act on decisions you’ve made. Decisiveness will benefit you, your fellow employees, and your employer.  

Integrity

Having integrity and being an honest employee not only indicates strong leadership qualities, it also builds trust between employees. Not to mention, it will help you sleep better at night. 

Creativity

Finding a way to be creative in the workplace can bring a new perspective to the work you do. Maybe you take on the role of designing the weekly newsletter so you have an outlet for your graphic design skills. Maybe you volunteer to organize a monthly employee activity like trivia night. Next time you go to the office, be on the lookout for ways you can use your creative talents to liven things up. 

Flexibility

Don’t be afraid to stray from the plan, schedule, or think outside the box. While most companies have guidelines for a reason, they also look for innovative thinkers who find a better way of doing things. Perhaps you can offer to change your scheduled lunch break to assist in an area that is short staffed. Or you could offer to learn a new software tool to help increase productivity of your team. Being flexible affords you the opportunity to make positive change in your office. 

Positive Attitude

Having a positive attitude is one of the quickest ways to improve your own relationship with your job while also boosting the morale of your fellow employees. Even if a situation seems negative, try to find a way to point out a possible positive outcome. When something goes wrong, be the first one to offer helpful solutions and volunteer to assist. Or, when everyone seems stressed out about a daunting project, remind your coworkers that teamwork makes the dream work, encouraging them that together you will succeed.

Communication

Being able to effectively communicate in your workplace will not only increase how quickly work can be done, it will also improve relationships among employees. Having positive relationships with the people you work with can greatly improve your relationship with your job. According to positivepsychology.com, positive workplace relationships result in employee engagement, shared knowledge, employee satisfaction, innovation, connection, and more. Sometimes a simple follow-up question can ensure everyone is on the same page. “Did I communicate my idea clearly?” “Does that make sense?” “Do you have any questions?”

Relationship-Building

Have you ever worked somewhere where there is someone who seems to know everyone? While that might not be your style, trying to connect with the people you work with can greatly improve your relationships with them. A simple “good morning” when arriving at the office or “have a great evening” when leaving, can open the door to future communication and possibly make someone’s day. If you spend five days a week sitting one cubicle away from someone, learning their name and more about them can go a long way to increasing employee satisfaction for both of you.   

Problem Solving

Being known in the office as someone who can quickly solve problems will quickly identify you as a leader among the team while feeling fulfillment by actively working towards a solution. Perhaps you can mindfully notice things that are not running smoothly in the office and offer a solution before it becomes an issue. Problem solving is a skill that is applicable to many areas of life beyond the workplace and will look great on your resume. 

Dependability

Being a dependable employee will help you build trust with your coworkers and yourself. Holding yourself accountable will result in more self-confidence as an employee and a person. Ask yourself, “Do I always follow through on commitments? “Do I make deadlines a priority?” “Am I the type of person I would want on my team?”

Ability to Teach and Mentor

The best way to test your knowledge of a subject is to try teaching it to others. Not only will teaching others result in learning more about the subject, it gives you the opportunity to help fellow employees succeed. Don’t wait for someone to ask for help, if you see them struggling, offer to assist. Be generous with your expertise.

The Lasting Effects of Leaning Into Leadership

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Being a leader in the workplace is about more than just holding a title. It's about embodying a mindset that fosters growth, positivity, and success. As a leader, you can become a role model for other employees, foster a positive work culture, empower others, communicate effectively, set clear goals, and adapt to change. By determining your unique set of leadership skills and discovering how you can best integrate them into your workflow, you might find that your love for your job is reignited. By becoming a source of inspiration and guidance, you not only enhance the workplace for yourself but also create an environment where everyone can thrive and love their work again. 

Identifying your leadership skills will put you on a greater path to success. If you would like to explore and expand your leadership skills, reach out to WCG Consulting for assistance. At WCG, we will help you identify your strengths and continue to grow as a leader throughout your career. To determine next steps, schedule a free 30 minute consultation with one of our consultants.