{"id":3081,"date":"2026-03-02T12:05:30","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T02:05:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.australiancoachingcollective.com.au\/?p=3081"},"modified":"2026-03-02T12:05:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T02:05:31","slug":"becoming-a-leader","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.australiancoachingcollective.com.au\/index.php\/2026\/03\/02\/becoming-a-leader\/","title":{"rendered":"Becoming a Leader"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have a goal to become a leader in the workforce it\u2019s wise to prepare for your journey as soon as possible. Involving yourself in community work, especially in roles that enable you to exercise some degree of leadership such as coaching a sporting team or serving in an emergency services crew can be a good starting point. The leadership skills and insights developed in our personal, social, and community lives are usually transferable to our employment contexts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But before getting started I strongly encourage you to make your goal a \u2018SMART\u2019 goal. \u2018SMART\u2019 is an acronym:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>S<\/strong> &#8211; Specific: As concrete and specific as possible;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>M<\/strong> &#8211; Measurable: So that you can know that you\u2019ve achieved it;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A <\/strong>&#8211; Achievable: A goal that is realistic but will cause you to stretch beyond your comfort zone;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>R<\/strong> &#8211; Relevant: Relevant to your current or desired context and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>T<\/strong> &#8211; Time framed: It has a \u2018by when\u2019 date.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">(As you will see in Step 2 below, your leadership goal will need to be consistent with the Mission Statement you will have developed for your life, and in particular, your Vision for the next several years. So go back and review your leadership goal in light of your Mission Statement and Vision.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Assuming you are already employed here are some additional strategies you could pursue:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Strengthen Your EQ<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Research shows that 90% of successful leaders have strong emotional intelligence. EQ covers 4 domains:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Self-awareness &#8211; awareness of your feelings in each context, what presses your buttons, your strengths and weaknesses;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Self-management &#8211; the ability to manage your emotions and know when, if, and how to express them appropriately;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Social-awareness &#8211; the ability to read the emotional dynamics in a group and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Relationship management &#8211; the ability to manage the emotional climate in a meeting to bring about a positive outcome.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Like muscles in our bodies EQ can be developed. Therefore I encourage clients to undertake an EQ assessment. The resource I recommend is \u2018EQ 2.0\u2019 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves. The hard copy of the book includes a \u2018scratchie\u2019 that contains a code enabling you to undertake an online EQ assessment. The book also includes resources to help you develop your EQ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Develop a Personal Mission Statement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Personal Mission Statement is a one page document that discerns and then weaves together your foundational purpose, basic beliefs and core values together with a motivating vision for your preferred future covering the next several years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I recommend beginning by creating a personal timeline from your birth to your present age. Then identify the significant people, events and circumstances that have shaped your life over that time plus your key strengths, insights, abilities and passions that have emerged. From this timeline discern your foundational purpose or mission (your reason for being), your basic beliefs (the 4-7 fundamental beliefs you hold about life and reality) and your core values (the 4-7 essential principles arising from your beliefs that shape how you want to live out your beliefs and purpose). From your purpose, beliefs and values develop a motivating vision (an image of your desired future) to be achieved within the next few years. (Presumably attaining a leadership position at work would be a key element of that vision.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Mission Statement provides motivation and focus while also enabling you to maintain a sense of balance with your other life roles and self-care. I recommend reviewing your Mission Statement annually in light of developments and refining it as appropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Engage a Leadership Coach<\/strong> &nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To help you work on developing your Mission Statement the services of a professional leadership coach can be a wise investment. In addition, a coach can also support you as you work through the remaining steps in this article. An experienced coach won\u2019t tell you what to do. Rather by practicing active listening and asking empowering questions she\/he will help you reflect on your plans and help you develop the strategies and skills to achieve you goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Enlist Your Manager\u2019s Support<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Developing a positive relationship with your immediate manager is a powerful way to help you achieve your leadership goal. Once you\u2019ve been able to establish a relationship of mutual trust and respect with your manager share with him\/her your career ambitions and leadership goal. Seek her\/his support in providing you with opportunities and experiences to develop leadership skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice \u2018Leadership\u2019 Type Behaviours<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By that I mean make a point of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Displaying initiative (within appropriate boundaries);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Supporting your fellow team members;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Achieving your KPI\u2019s ahead of time;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Actively following through on your one on one sessions with your manager;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Being willing to mentor and support new team members and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If your manager hasn\u2019t already initiated one on one coaching sessions with you request at least having fortnightly meetings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Manage Upwards<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Managing upwards is about helping your manager know what you need in order to do your best, demonstrating support to your manager, working with his\/her communication style and offering to help her\/him when your manager is under pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Find an Internal Mentor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As well as having a leadership coach finding someone in your organisation who holds a senior position whom you respect and trust to mentor you in leadership can be very helpful. I encourage suggesting it on a trial basis initially and then after an agreed period mutually evaluating how it\u2019s working out. It also enables executives to be aware of potential leadership talent within their organisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>8.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Begin Leadership Qualifications<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gaining a formal leadership qualification that is recognised and relevant to your industry\/sector, such as an appropriate MBA, can position graduates for future senior leadership roles. However such qualifications are expensive. Nevertheless some organisations are prepared to financially support promising employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Finally\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Essentially, leadership is not about power and control but about relationally influencing people to achieve a desired outcome. This means at its core leadership is a function of character and competence. Character is about being a person of integrity and someone who has no hidden agendas. Competence is not about perfection but having the capacity to do your job efficiently and effectively. It\u2019s when these two qualities, character and competence, work together that leaders establish a reputation of mutual trust and respect that provides their people with the psychological safety and confidence to work together productively. Leaders like that should be highly valued and respected across any organisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.australiancoachingcollective.com.au\/graham-beattie\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Graham Beattie<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For free resources checkout our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.australiancoachingcollective.com.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">website<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are so many facets to good leadership. Graham Beattie shares some clues for those starting off on the journey, yet there is still something here for veterans too. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":3082,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,30,52,41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3081","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-accountability","category-leadership","category-mission","category-vision"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.australiancoachingcollective.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3081","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.australiancoachingcollective.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.australiancoachingcollective.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.australiancoachingcollective.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.australiancoachingcollective.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3081"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.australiancoachingcollective.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3081\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3084,"href":"https:\/\/blog.australiancoachingcollective.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3081\/revisions\/3084"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.australiancoachingcollective.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3082"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.australiancoachingcollective.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3081"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.australiancoachingcollective.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3081"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.australiancoachingcollective.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3081"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}