An own declaration of self esteem and self knowledge is the first step towards becoming a a leader. Leaders are made, not born; and on its construction prevails the appropriation of a unique language that goes beyond oral or written discourse. The language of leadership is the attitude of respect towards others and yourself.

Getting to know, valuing, being empathetic and assertive with our work team; motivating them using emotional intelligence, improving our projection, knowing what you want to achieve and how are you are going to do so, besides counting with a technical preparation that allows me to be more competent are indispensable variables to achieve an effective leadership.

Counting with these two attributes is translated into owning the basic tools for self appraisal. Self-Esteem is the value that we give ourselves. What we think of ourselves and we think others think of us. Virginia Satir in her Self-Esteem Declaration said: I have the means to get close to others, to be productive, to give meaning and order to the world of people and things that surround me. I belong to myself, and that is how I can structure myself.

Healthy self-esteem and self knowledge are part of the language of leadership; that one that originates from a social dimension, not just the “knowing what to say”, but also the “knowing what to be and do”.

A leader must know his/her strengths to power them up, and also the weaknesses to be able to improve them. Leaders must trust themselves. By doing so, leaders project safety to the team, and with this you will help the members believe in the project as well.

This healthy and real perception will help you take the reins of the project and find solutions for the difficulties that present themselves in the future. Therefore, this will allow the leader, based on the confidence he/she radiates to help grow the theme in an individual and collective manner.

Motivation is directly related with will. Shaking the springs of will is an excellent way to persuade. For the leader to achieve the final goal with the team, he/she must know how to motivate. “Knowing what to say” means:

• Directing the talk towards a real possibility for success.
• Talking about the benefits that will come by taking the right decisions.
• Defining attitudes and values that are needed for the team in order to achieve the goal in mind without opposition.
• Delegating and trusting in the capacities of the specialists in the team and letting them know that you do.
• Directing to your subordinates with sincerity and transparency.
• Activating, using assertive communication, the motor forces that will push the team to work with motivation and quality.

Assertiveness forms part of that “Knowing to be” that is so necessary in the social dimension and even in the entrepreneurial one. It’s the way that a leader knows how to be empathetic and respectful. A leader must know how to communicate and interact with those around him/her.

A person with assertive style says what they think or feel, without bothering or being disrespectful. Observe the motivations and interests of those surrounding you and decide what to say and how to say it. Even respect those who act and think differently.

An assertive leader acts with humility and likes to network. The leader bets for leadership model that powers up collective and collaborative intelligence.

Another variable that must be taken into account in the Language of Leadership is Emotional Intelligence. It’s the conglomerate of attitudes and skills that determine how a person behaves, reacts or engages with others.

A good leader emotionally connects with the team in a professional way. The leader must have the social abilities that allow him/her to influence in a positive manner. The team must not see the leader as an authoritarian and inquisitive individual, on the contrary, the leader must know how to approach the employees with respect and understanding.

The members of the team should not be fearful of speaking to the leader, but with respect; without feeling diminished but knowing that they are in front of the decision maker and leader.

If there ever was a time for businesspeople to learn the fine art of persuasion, it is now. Today businesses are run largely by cross-functional teams of peers and populated by baby boomers and their Generation X offspring, who show little tolerance for unquestioned authority.

Nowadays, you have to appeal to your subordinates by making them see how they can get from point A to point B, by establishing credibility and trust. Incentives are also used to help them get there as well. Effective persuasion becomes a learning and negotiating process in which the leader leads the subordinates and peers to a viable shared solution.

Think about the leader’s position. When a peer sees that the person in charge is eager to hear their views or ideas, and is willing to make changes in response to their needs and concerns, they respond positively and encourage them to speak out their ideas the next time around.

In order to persuade appropriately, the leader must not only listen to others but also incorporate their point of views and perspectives into their own. That is also why you must try to understand and relate to your peers’ emotional state, as it is an important factor when it comes to teamwork, getting projects done and speaking out their mind and ideas.

Good leaders structure the objectives based on the foundation of the vision of the project and the company. Knowing what they are doing and in which direction they are taking the project and the team. They must know how to organize and delegate tasks based on the capacities and skills of each employee. Taking advantage of each person’s work skills transforms each specialist into the type of efficient teamwork to make the goals possible.

Counting with a sharp sense to know what the end goal is and how to achieve it is necessary. The person in front of the project anticipates obstacles, and has a vision that others do not. Creates strategies for each objective, and delegates appropriate work to those that are more capable to do it and examines all the different points of view and receives feedback that will allow the leader to change or keep the way things are going. A leader analyzes all the actions with a cool head and is able to give ideas to the team.

The leader makes sure and controls that everything is going according to plan; but in said control the leader allows everyone to be part of the process, making them feel like they are indispensable and capable.

Nobody speaks ill of what they know, and that’s why the leader on their “Knowing what to do” must be the person with the best integrative skills in the workplace. That is exactly how they’re helpful, their integration skills added to the technical knowledge, leadership styles, effective communication, and the vision for the opportunities and capacities to work as a team.

Nevertheless, it doesn’t matter how prepared the leader is. There must not exist in the leader even a little bit of intellectual and technical arrogance. Being highly competent doesn’t mean the leader has to be egocentric, which is fatal to the language of leadership.

The leader must work so the whole team acquires the necessary techniques and knowledge. Do not compare people or their abilities either. The leader must take advantage that each person in the project is free to give ideas and add knowledge without any type of arrogance or superiority.

There isn’t a second chance for a first bad impression. The leader persuades not just with words, but with emotions; there is also a non-verbal language that in fact is a powerful communicative tool. The leader also transmits with the body, like for example by:

The leaders of PASconcept are objective, visionairy, persuasive and efficient. Having them to make your Architecture or Engineering project come true is an intelligent option, above all because they take the Language of Leadership to the next level, the level of excellency.