Good Manager to Great Leader

Leaders need to know the full battle plan for the whole strategic campaign. Managers are the facticians - they're the platoon leaders and section leaders and section leaders that carryout the orders.

Leaders need to be visionaries and do a good job at selling that vision to others. Managers need to figure out the ways to get that vision.

Know your Team

Be aware of your army's strengths and weaknesses.
Example: Regular testing of skills and inclinations.

* Know which team member would benefit from additional training, coaching or encouragement...

Leader knows which peg to put in the right hole and how much that peg needs to be push down the hole

* This doesn't mean that only people who posses skills for a certain task are given that task though. It's important that you don't pigeon-hole people for their skills.

Build Trust

Employees need the assurance that their leader knows what he is doing and that his decisions take into account their well being. This degree of trust will help ensure that "things get done and the same preferred results are achieved whether or not the leader is present."

People need to be assured that you are who you say you are.

It's also about building a good relationship with your people and obtaining their respect.

Instill Openness

Employees need to know they can always approach you and talk to you even if their views differ from your.

* An important part of this quality is the ability to admit one's own mistakes, accept challenges and new ideas.

Embrace diversity

Leaders need to be mindful and respectful of differences in culture and work practices of employees and learn to use these to the organization's advantage.

Invest in your growth

Don't take on the whole world. To motivate your need to learn to delegate.

A good leader takes time to acquire new skills, keep up to date with industry developments as well as the world in general, to continue being a well-rounded person.

Good is the opposite of great. One of the most enduring qualities of a great leader is their ability to rally people around a cause.

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Proverb: No man on his deathbed says he wishes he spent more time at the office.
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Understand the Business

Start by thinking how can you enable this business user to serve their customers better.

Step back and examine what is the value of what you are doing to the company's customer.

Junk the tech lingo and adopt the biz jargon.

Find a Sponsor

Find a mentor or sponsor who will champion your cause.

Go for Frequent Small Victories

Boost employee morale and gain more recognition by initiating projects that result in a series of small success rather than concentration on a large project.

Zoom in on quick turn around

When the emphasis is on budget slashing, companies are on the look out for low-cost projects with shorter turn around times.

Use tech trends to improve productivity

Business are not focused on looking for people who can invent the technology as they are on people who know how to use the technology to improve productivity or boost profits.