Member-only story
5 Stupidly Simple Leadership Skills, and 5 Advanced Ones
Simple ways to improve your credibility
Most people want to lead but aren’t sure how to start. It’s easy to wake up, start the day, and then get whisked off into the current of mediocrity. At some point, we get so caught up in keeping our head above water that we don’t have time to think about how we could improve or influence the lives of others in order to help them.
It turns out it’s easy to influence others. There are simple skills that we can learn in a few minutes that can instantly improve our ability to lead effectively. And with each skill, there’s a simple version and a more advanced one.
I’ve collected these over half a lifetime. I wish I knew some of them 20 years ago.
1. Say Hi to Everyone Within 10 Feet of You
Before Sam Walton created one of the largest companies in the world, he ran a single retail store, the first Wal-Mart. There is one rule that he lived by and that he also taught each of his employees.
Always smile and say “hello” to anyone who comes within 10 feet of you.
This simple rule helped customers feel accepted. It made the store appear welcoming and friendly. The…
