Leading is hard enough as it is, but it’s even harder when you have to do it in the public eye. When done properly, public leadership is a work of art, but when you’re juggling multiple roles—and most leaders have to in order to pilot their company or organization successfully—being graceful in the public eye can be at the bottom of your to-do list. So how does one lead successfully when everyone is watching? Here, Michael Wiener – a world-renowned license plate collector and a former public official, shares five things that every good leader has in common.
- Communication
A good public servant has to be a great communicator. They should be able to listen to and respond to their employees in an efficient way. In order to do this, they must be open-minded and willing to change.
They should also be able to communicate any wishes, changes, and company policies clearly to avoid any confusion among workers. Otherwise, it can be a huge hindrance to the way your company works.
- Resilience
Everyone stumbles and makes mistakes; that doesn’t matter. What does matters is how you respond to it.
If you trip up while making a speech, it’s important to keep going and not let it drag you down. A great speaker is great at recovering. If you ever find your business in a rough spot, it’s important to work through it.
Being resilient also means you’ll be able to make it through change. When the economy changes, whenever there’s a drop in the stock market, anytime anything negative happens, you’ll be able to overcome anything thrown your way.
- Motivation
Every business needs to move forward. A great leader is not only self-motivated, but they motivate others around them. This encourages workers, leading to a better work environment.
People are more likely to perform well if they are encouraged, so even if times are tough, it’s best to motivate them from a positive standpoint, rather than a negative one. That will foster creativity and improve productivity.
- Critical Thinking
As a leader, you should be able to think critically to understand a situation and develop a solution. You must be unbiased and analytical to determine the best course of action to pursue.
Don’t jump to conclusions; instead, take every aspect into consideration and don’t be afraid to think about it for a bit before making a decision.
Before implementing change, it’s also important to consider every case scenario. Don’t just focus on the goals, but also what happens if something fails so you can be prepared.
- Trust
Lastly, there must be trust between both you and your employees.
Your employees should trust you to make the right choices, but you should reciprocate that trust in them by having faith that they will do their jobs correctly, rather than watch them like a hawk, ready to spot any mistake.
If they do make a mistake, you should trust that they will correct it. Trust is the glue that cements any business or organization together.
About Michael Wiener:
Michael C. Wiener of Albuquerque New Mexico is a world-renowned license plate collector, researcher, and consultant. He is considered to be America’s leading authority regarding automobile license plates and motor vehicle licensing systems. By the time he was 23, he had visited all 50 states and has now explored over 100 countries across the globe. Mr. Wiener was elected as an Albuquerque City Councilor, a New Mexico State Senator, and a Bernalillo County Commissioner. He was elected twice as International President of the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association (ALPCA), and has been featured on HGTV’s Offbeat America,” CNBC News with Brian Williams, and appeared in an episode of AMC’s Breaking Bad and was featured in New Mexico Magazine. Michael Wiener serves as a consultant for motor vehicle departments, law enforcement agencies, and television and motion picture producers on subjects related to motor vehicles and automobile plate history. He has been nominated twice, by his peers, to the ALPCA Hall of Fame and was given the “Outstanding Leadership” Award by the Mid Region Council of Governments in 2013.
