10 Ways to Be a Leader at Work When Youre Not the Boss

10 Ways to Be a Leader at Work When Youre Not the Boss10 Ways to Be a Leader at Work When Youre Not the BossWhen founders and CEOs look to hire and promote managers, they want people who exhibit leadership. But how can you exhibit leadership if youre stuck in individual contributor roles? No one reports to you, and youre leidlage even a project manager.Good news is, leader isnt a title, its a group of characteristics, and you can acquire them, even if youre not the boss. Here are 10 ideas1. Communicate ClearlyLeaders dont grumble behind closed doors when things dont go their way. They dont say yes when they should have said no. They say what they mean and do so in a way that people understand. This is not advocating rudeness, but it is advocating dropping passive-aggressive behavior.2. Learn FlexibilityTheres rarely a right way to do something. If you are going to insist that things be done a certain way, youre headed down the micromanager path, and thats not what leadership is about . Ask yourself, Is this the wrong way to do it, or is it just a different way?3. Dont Be a DoormatLeaders stand up for themselves, politely. Jerks stand up for themselves rudely. If somebody interrupts you in a meeting, simply say, Im sorry, can I finish? If your slimy co-worker tries to dump her work on you say, That wont be possible. Does this mean you never do a favor? Absolutely not. You do do favors, but you do so because you are nice or because it benefits you and the company, not because you cant say no.4. Help OthersLeaders bring others along with them and share credit for work well done. Leaders dont look for opportunities to step on others, but rather look for opportunities to help others succeed. Remember, a leader is someone who demonstrates desirable characteristics.5. Take Responsibility for Your MistakesWe all make mistakes. Own your mistakes. When someone points out an error, dont start throwing blame, simply say, Thanks for letting me know. Let me fix that. Addition ally, when things start going south, ask for help rather than panicking and trying to fix everything on your own. That usually makes it worse.6. Listen to Others IdeasYou may be bursting with ideas and cant wait until its your turn on the stage, but take time to listen to others. Other people have great ideas as well, and a true leader acknowledges that good things can come from many sources. Dont cut people off. Do solicit ideas. You may be surprised at what you learn.7. Take RisksLots of times, people think leaders have led charmed lives where everything went well. This is rarely the case. Failure is an integral part of success. When you can acknowledge that the risks are real but the qualifikation payoff is enough to counteract that, youre demonstrating leadership. If you jump blindly, thats stupid. But if you evaluate the situation and take the risk anyway, thats leadership.8. Remember to NetworkNetworking isnt just about finding jobs, its about connecting with people. As you le arn how to interact with people, youll learn which interactions are effective and which are ineffective. As you help others with their career, youre demonstrating your ability to lead and guide.9. Develop a Thick SkinIllegal and immoral discrimination happens. Accept that it does now, and just determine not to let terrible people get you down. The business world is not the university, and the HR department are not counselors. If someone treats you poorly, dont immediately jump to the conclusion that it was based on some immutable characteristic. Instead, evaluate if what they said or did was justified. If it was, change your behavior. If it wasnt, dont let it bother you. Now, in an egregious situation, absolutely report it, but let most things roll off your back.10. Dont Ask for Special TreatmentAll that stuff you learned about being inherently special? False. Youre not. Im not. No one is. So stop asking for special treatment and exceptions to rules. Now, can you become special by w orking harder and smarter than everyone else? Youll get special treatment when you deserve it. That isnt to say you cant ask for a raise or a promotion for extra behavior. Thats not special treatment- thats something you earn by being awesome.More From Inc.12 Things That Successful Leaders Never TolerateThree Ways to Hold the Fastest, Most Efficient Meetings Possible10 Things Highly Popular People Do ConsistentlyPhoto of domino courtesy of Shutterstock.