If you could impart one leadership lesson to every boss in the nation, what would it be? We asked PT's bloggers (psychologytoday.com) for their best top-dog tips.
Know the Line
"In every organization's culture, there are some aspects that are changeable and some that aren't. A strong leader is realistic about what's within his or her control and what isn't, and makes thoughtful choices about which path to take based on this knowledge. "—Sherrie Bourg Carter, Psy.D.: High Octane Women: How superachievers can avoid burnout
Go Long
"Don't give instruction—give goals. If I am given the freedom to figure out my own path to the top of the mountain, I'm more likely to give my all to get there." —Jaime Booth Cundy: The Beauty in the Beast: Happiness across the cultures
20-20 Vision(ary)
"Be creative. The best leaders keep the vision in mind but are flexible about how it's achieved." —Kimberly Sena Moore: Your Musical Self: Using music to learn, heal, and live
Social Smarts
"Leadership is not about process, it is about relationships. It's at least as important for a manager to understand people as it is for that manager to understand the structure of the business." —Art Markman, Ph.D.: Ulterior Motives: How goals, both seen and unseen, drive behavior
Buddy System
"As a leader, a boss learns to command respect without ever having to demand it. Therefore, an effective boss is not a dictator but a partner; he's always part of the solution and never intentionally part of the problem." —Glenn Alperin: Face Off: Living with prosopagnosia
Got to Be Real
"Be straightforward, honest, and open with others. Tell people exactly what you are doing and why. Authenticity leads to trust, and trust is critical for effective leadership." —Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D.: Cutting-Edge Leadership: The best in current leadership research and theory
Mind The Gap
"With four generations in the workplace, effective leaders need to think about individuals' values toward work and adapt a leadership style to bring the best out of them." —Bernardo Tirado: Digital Leaders: Transforming the digital world through revolutionary leadership
