Standing strong as a leader

Whether you’ve just started your career as an advisor or you’re a seasoned professional, establishing yourself as a strong leader can boost short-term success and advance your career over the long term.

Being a leader can include managing others, engaging clients, offering direction to colleagues or cultivating an environment that fosters potential. No matter your role, you can establish yourself as a leader by playing to your strengths.

For instance, communication is often a natural strength for women. In fact, a study by Caliper concluded that female leaders are more persuasive in the workplace than their male counterparts. This means they can often use their strong communication skills to create an office atmosphere that encourages collaboration and mentorship, and inspires others to leverage their own strengths.

Effective leadership is rooted in understanding the importance of – and then working to establish – a sense of community in the workplace. Being able to communicate why an associate’s job matters to the overall success of the team is just as important as assigning the job itself. Valuing and respecting the roles each colleague plays fosters a sense of pride and accountability across the entire team.

Open communication and a level of trust allow your peers to better appreciate those around them, regardless of whether someone is a summer intern or a manager. To practice building a sense of community, try to establish the worth of each person’s role in the office and then capitalize on the natural feelings of mutual respect and coordination that follow.

One of the most challenging skills to master for any leader is the ability to leverage your social capital. Social capital is not how many friends you have on Facebook or your number of connections on LinkedIn. Instead, it refers to your diplomacy skills, emotional intelligence and interpersonal impact. When you tap into these skills, you’re better able to develop more trusting and meaningful relationships with colleagues, creating a supportive workplace environment to achieve positive results.

By finding ways to make the most of your leadership role, you’ll be better able to guide – and inspire – those around you.