Positive leadership involves modeling, enhancing, and experiencing positive emotions. Positive leaders are interested in the well-being of their employees and try to find silver linings no matter the situation. However, in a world filled with chaos and uncertainty, positive leadership can create multiple opportunities for progress.
But how do we create and facilitate positive leaders within society? What is the magic formula that guarantees positivity in leaders? Let us find out.
What is Positive Leadership?
Often confused with optimistic leadership, positive leadership involves not just enhancing one’s own positive emotions, but also inculcating positivity in others. A positive leader is generally interested in self-growth and the growth of the company. Additionally, positive leaders are optimistic and have a lot of personal integrity that makes them likable. But that is not all, there is so much more to uncover.
What Are the Benefits of Positive Leadership
Positive leadership proves beneficial, not just for the individual, but also for the office. It ensures high morale and boosts confidence for everyone. Here are some more benefits of positive leadership.
1. Helps You in Your Personal and Professional Life
Before we move forward, let us get one thing straight: positive leadership helps improve both your personal and professional life. It gives you a new perspective on life and makes you look for positive cues at every turn. Moreover, the characteristics you exhibit in your office also impact your relationships and make you a better version of yourself.
2. Helps You Be Optimistic About Situations
Everyone experiences turmoil and chaos in their life. Everyone has got a fair share of their problems. From financial issues to issues concerning health and education, however, the approach that people take toward these problems and issues makes all the difference. Positive leaders are generally optimistic about situations and can find silver linings wherever they look.
3. Allows You to Navigate Through Times of Uncertainty and Volatility
This comes in handy when people work in offices or have fast-paced careers. Difficult and volatile market situations can create a lot of uncertainty. A good example of this is the recent Covid Pandemic. Most business leaders got scared and backed off during such times of uncertainty. However, there were some leaders who stayed positive, tried to keep going, and tried to find the one good thing about a bad situation. This helps them progress.
4. Helps You Remove Barriers and Find Clarity
Negative people, or people who find faults in everything, tend to have blurred vision. They often focus too much on the negatives and are unable to look beyond the cons of something. Positive leaders do not face this problem. They minimize the number of barriers that hinder their progress and can see things with absolute clarity. Their ability to ignore the minute issues and look at the bigger picture also helps.
5. Inspires Trust in Leadership
Positive leaders create positive energy all around them. Regardless of who they meet, whether their associates or their employees, they make sure to end up with a good impression. This makes them very likable and makes their employees revere their personality. Additionally, positive leaders appear more trustworthy; they are able to command respect without having to ask for it.
6. Building a Team That Is Emotionally Invested in You
Look at the famous leaders in history and see the difference between people treating negative and positive leaders. Positive leaders, who were able to show patience, be genuine, and show empathy, tended to become more popular within their societies. A good example of such leaders includes Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H).
7. Makes You More Inclusive and Diverse
Positive leaders tend to look beyond a person’s race, ethnicity, gender, or religion. They usually focus on other people’s merits. This makes them stand out in the post-modern world. Because they are only concerned with someone’s ability to do a job well, they are generally more respected within their communities.
Also Read: 12 key differences between inclusive and exclusive leaders?
How to Inculcate Positive Leadership in Your Career?
1. Make a Conscious Effort to Reflect Positive Behavior
For starters, know the harms of negative or fear-based leadership. Realize that you will only be scaring good people away if you do not show signs of positivity and optimism. Once you realize the potential of this style, you will naturally be drawn to it.
2. Be Mindful of Your Action- And Their Consequences
Next, make a conscious effort to assess your behavior and your action. Make sure to also assess your intention behind a particular task. So for instance, if you are facing a deadlock or a stalemate, rather than lashing out at your employees and putting the blame on them, gather everyone around, discuss the issue, and try to find a common ground to help you move forward.
3. Find That Silver Lining, for Yourself and Others
Silver linings are present, even in the worst of situations. One has to find a little bit of good in every situation. Even if everything is going against you, try looking for that one thing that may work in your favor. As Dumbledore said: Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, only if one remembers to turn on the light
4. Confidence Makes You Believable
You may be a positive leader yourself. You may have a tendency to focus on the positives at every turn. However, it is often difficult to keep the morale high of an entire team. It is difficult to explain, all the things you see and feel. This is why positive leaders need to be very confident. They should have an excellent grasp of verbal and non-verbal communication. This is the only way they can create a sense of positivity in their offices.
5. Develop Your Self-Esteem by Developing Skills
It is a truth universally acknowledged that people who have the right skills tend to have greater self-esteem. Apart from this, having a sound knowledge of your field helps you command more respect and authority among your peers. Your word is automatically given more authority.
6. Keep the Locus of Control Close
Positive leaders often have to keep things in check and make sure that people are not losing their morale or their will to do better. This is why they keep the locus of control close. They focus less on extrinsic motivation and more on intrinsic motivation. This helps keep them consistent over time.
7. Work on Your Emotional Stability
Mental health issues are a big deal and should be dealt with on an immediate basis. However, with leaders, preemptive decisions are essential. Leaders can not deal with stuff on an ad-hoc basis. They need to go out of their way to get therapy and the right assistance if they are dealing with anything traumatic. This ensures that they can always stay positive, no matter the situation.
What Are the Qualities of a Positive Leader?
A positive leader is not only optimistic, but also creates a positive environment for everyone around them. They are full of energy and make a conscious effort to do the right thing. Here are some qualities of a positive leader.
- A consistent effort to stay true to the highest standards of morals and ethics
- Showing optimism in times of crisis
- Showing Conflict management skills to ensure harmony among employees
- Creating an equitable and positive attitude in the office
- Showing empathy towards employees so they feel comfortable
Which Positive Leadership Style Work Best?
Positive leadership combined with other popular leadership style can work towards the common goals of an organization. Here is a comparison between among different styles.
Transformational positive leadership | Inclusive positive leadership | Democratic positive leadership |
---|---|---|
These leaders are not only optimistic about the outcomes, but also ensure that they can use their leadership to change the status quo for the better. They identify a problem with the status quo, devise a plan to fix the problem, and then do their best to fix the issue. | Inclusive positive leaders make sure to prioritize inclusivity and diversity when making hiring choices. These leaders also create an equitable and non-toxic Environment so that all the employees can flourish. | Democratic leadership combined with positive leadership ensures that employees are not only validated for their efforts, but also involved in Decision-making process. These democratic positive leaders are not boastful and do their best to generate positive discourse. |
Become a Positive Leader With Best Diplomats
Best Diplomats is an international organization that holds multiple training programs all year round. It follows the format of the United Nations and is the best simulation out there. As participants, you get to experience a plethora of fun activities, but that is not all.
Best Diplomats creates a positive environment that allows you to flourish and reach your full potential. You can improve your interpersonal skills and communication skills. Additionally, you get to meet a diverse group of people: an experience that helps you widen your horizons.
Conclusion
Positivity, even as a general characteristic, is essential for the well-being of an individual. It not only reduces the stress a person experiences, but also makes him a well-rounded individual. Moreover, positive leaders tend to find silver linings, even when there are none. If you want to inculcate this positivity in yourself, all you got to do is get the right guidance. Luckily for you, Best Diplomats has you covered.
FAQs
Why Is Positive Leadership Essential for Office Environment?
Offices, even with their wide range of anti-harassment policies, tend to get quite toxic at times. Employees, as well as leaders, add to this toxicity. Positive leaders can turn the tables and create a 360-degree shift for the environment. In offices with greater diversity, this can come in handy to ensure that everyone feels welcomed and accommodated.
Why Are Positive Leaders More Successful in Life?
Positive leaders do not crave attention or do not require constant validation. Moreover, they are not insecure and are not looking to replace anyone. They enjoy their own position and try their best to navigate through difficult times with a smile on their face. This creates trust in leadership and hence makes positive leaders more successful in life.
What Are the Harms of Being an Insecure and Negative Leader?
Insecure and negative leaders make up most of our population. These leaders cut off opportunities for other people and tend to take all the limelight. However, their negativity hampers only themselves. Insecure leaders are less likable and tend to be replaced quite easily. Moreover, they lack contentment and are always looking for more validation.