Danielle Sokol's Leadership Philosophy

There isn't just one quality that makes a great leader. I think that thinking win-win, having good communication, being democratic, leading by example, being able to listen, and adapting to different situations are some of the many important qualities that make a good leader.

• Think Win-Win: Thinking Win Win means that you are a positive, fair, and cooperative person. This mentality means that if you don’t win, and the other person doesn’t win, then you both win. Winning isn’t the world and if you think Win Win then everyone is happy. This mentality creates a healthy work environment and a healthy leadership where every persons ideas are equally important and accepted.

• Communication: Every good group dynamic begins and ends with communication. If you can communicate with your subordinates what you want accomplished will result in a better flow of the workplace and group dynamic. You have to be able to speak your mind but remember “less is more”. Communication is effective and essential as a leader but if every opinion is shared, people are less likely to listen.

• Democracy: Being an effective leader is believing that there’s more to the task than your commands. Everyone’s voice is important and letting others relate their feelings and concerns lets them know that you’re really listening to them and care about what they have to say. This leads to developing a healthy working environment and trust between you and your co-workers.

• Lead By Example: People that look up to you will continue to do this so long that there is an aspect of trust put in place. In order to develop a strong sense of trust, a good leader must achieve the goals they set for their team to complete. Once these people see that you mean what you say and say what you mean, they’ll do what you ask.

• Listen: Being a good leader isn’t just about telling people what to do but about listening to what they have to say. Communication begins with you telling people what you want from them and ends with listening to their comments and letting them voice their opinions. You’ll never know if something is effective or not if you never give your employees the time of day.

• Adaptability: Adaptability is a quality that all great leaders must obtain. Adapting to situations that are favorable are quite easy to do but adapting to difficult situations is challenging. A versatile leader must be able to handle every task that is presented whether it be simple or difficult. If you are able to adapt to all kinds of situations, you will become an effective leader as well as an educated leader.