Becoming a respected leader is more like running a marathon than sprinting to the finish line.

Many people can step into management roles, but few truly become authoritative figures that their team members look up to.

Embrace your unique leadership style

As we’ve mentioned before, each of us has a distinct leadership style that should be authentic to who we are. It’s essential to develop this style thoughtfully to avoid coming off as insincere. At the same time, staying consistent while making adjustments—balancing periods of attentive listening with times of heightened activity—can help keep the team engaged and focused on achieving goals while also allowing for necessary downtime to recharge.

Return to the fundamentals

If you’ve ever played soccer, you’ve likely heard your coach urge you to “play the fundamentals first!” This principle applies just as well to leadership. We need to concentrate on mastering the foundational aspects of leadership before moving on to more advanced techniques. This process includes embracing methods that suit our current level of experience rather than attempting overly sophisticated strategies that may be beyond our reach.

Foster and facilitate

Another important aspect of leadership is the ability to “enable” and “facilitate.” Often, simply doing tasks isn’t enough—or even feasible. It’s crucial to help nurture the work and relationships of others to speed up our collective success. Learning when to step back and streamline processes instead of taking charge is a skill that develops with experience. Initiating this practice is vital for maturing that skill over time.