10 Ways To Be A Better Leader

Leadership rarely arrives with a fanfare. More often, it creeps up on you - a project that needs direction, a team that looks your way, a moment when you realise you’re the one expected to steady the ship. And while the world is full of advice on how to lead, the truth is simpler: good leadership begins with how you show up as a human being.

Below are ten grounded, quietly powerful ways to grow into the kind of leader people trust, follow and feel energised by.

01. Start With Self‑Awareness

Every meaningful shift in leadership begins with understanding yourself. Not in the abstract, but in the everyday sense:

• What sparks your frustration?

• What lifts your energy?

• How do your moods shape your decisions?

Self‑awareness isn’t a soft skill; it’s the foundation. Without it, even the most sophisticated leadership tools fall flat. With it, you gain the clarity to respond rather than react - and that changes everything.

02. Strengthen the Core Skills

Leadership isn’t one thing; it’s a constellation of skills. Communication, emotional intelligence, decision‑making, resilience, clarity of purpose - they all matter. When these skills are underdeveloped, cracks appear quickly. When they’re nurtured, they create the conditions for people to thrive.

It’s tempting to focus only on the inspiring side of leadership, but it’s equally important to recognise what happens when these skills are missing. That awareness alone can be a powerful motivator to grow.

03. Find Your Own Style

There is no single way to lead. Some people lead with warmth and intuition; others with structure and strategy. Most of us sit somewhere in between. What matters is not mimicking someone else’s style, but understanding your own - and knowing when to flex it.

Great leadership often emerges from partnerships between contrasting strengths. Think of any successful organisation, and you’ll usually find a balance of vision and pragmatism, creativity and order. Your style is part of that ecosystem.

04. Seek Out Mentors and Coaches

No one develops in isolation. A good mentor or coach offers something rare: a space where you can think aloud, be challenged, and see yourself more clearly. They help you spot the gap between intention and impact, a gap we all have.

You can figure things out alone, but it takes far longer. Support accelerates growth, and there’s no shame in seeking it.

05. Know Your Values and Vision

When pressure rises, people look to leaders for steadiness. That steadiness doesn’t come from bravado; it comes from knowing what you stand for. Your values act as a compass when decisions become murky or emotions run high.

A clear vision, even a modest one, helps you navigate complexity without losing yourself. When in doubt, return to your values. They rarely steer you wrong.

06. Avoid Demotivating Your Team

Motivation is often misunderstood. Most adults don’t need to be endlessly inspired; they simply need clarity, autonomy and the tools to do their work well.

Before asking how to motivate people, ask:

• Do they understand the purpose?

• Do they have what they need?

• Do they feel seen and appreciated?

Often, the issue isn’t a lack of motivation; it’s the presence of obstacles.

07. Prioritise diversity and inclusion

A strong team is rarely a uniform one. Diversity of background, thought, experience, and temperament expands what a group can see and solve. But diversity only works when people feel safe enough to speak honestly.

That requires leaders who can listen without defensiveness, welcome difficult conversations, and create space for everyone to contribute. Inclusion isn’t a box to tick; it’s a daily practice.

08. Don’t confuse leadership with heroism

Leadership isn’t about grand gestures or dramatic rescues. Most of it happens quietly: in meetings, in conversations, in the way you handle the everyday pressures of work.

You don’t need a title to lead. Influence comes from how you behave, not where you sit in the hierarchy. Anyone from the newest hire to the CEO can model leadership through their actions.

09. Accept that human nature doesn’t change

Technology evolves at breakneck speed, but people don’t. Our fears, hopes, egos and insecurities are remarkably consistent across centuries. That’s why emotional intelligence remains one of the most valuable skills in any workplace.

The leaders who succeed are those who understand human behaviour, including their own and can navigate the messy, sometimes uncomfortable emotional terrain that comes with working alongside others.

10. Don’t wait to bgegin

Leadership isn’t something you “arrive” at. It’s something you practise. The sooner you engage with your own development through reflection, training, coaching, or simply paying attention, the stronger and more adaptable you become.

As automation reshapes the world of work, the human elements of leadership will matter more than ever: empathy, clarity, collaboration, and emotional steadiness. Technology can do many things, but it can’t replace the feeling of being part of a team that works.

So start now. Not because you must, but because the world needs women leaders who are willing to grow