Leadership is one of those topics about which it seems everyone has their own opinions.
It's not hard to find people willing to offer leadership tips and techniques to you as you work on improving leadership within your organization or your own skills.
However, some of those well-intended ideas should be ignored at all costs.
Here are a few leadership tips and techniques you should avoid.
Louder is Better It may seem antiquated to anyone who seriously researches leadership, there are people who believe that the best way to motivate an direct others is by yelling and screaming at them.
These "drill sergeant" techniques rarely work on a managerial level and their utility on the level of leadership is even more pronounced.
If you're interested in alienating people, rely on volume and intensity.
Make it Worth Your While Some people may tell you to make sure that your leadership decisions and efforts work to your own advantage.
You want to be successful, after all, and there's no better position from which to demonstrate your value to an organization than when serving in a leadership capacity.
However, the best leaders--enlightened leaders, if you will--understand that successful management isn't self-serving.
They recognize that the best leaders--the ones to whom people really listen--are those who keep the needs and wants of others in the forefront of their mind.
Rely on Your Natural Talents There's no such thing as a great "natural" leader.
Sure, there are certain personality traits that lend themselves to leadership roles more easily than others do.
It would be silly to argue that intangibles like charisma and likeability don't play a role in leadership.
However, that role shouldn't be overstated.
Natural talents are great, but they won't transform you into a quality leader.
You need to study a variety of tips and techniques for leadership development, building an understanding of how leadership works and what it can really accomplish.
Hoping that your "good looks and charm" will rule the day is eventually destined for failure.
There's a lot of good advice out there.
There's some bad advice, too.
These three commonly-recited leadership tips and techniques are prefect examples of why you shouldn't follow all of the advice you receive.