10 tips on how to become a leader - advice from businessman Oleksandr Syvak

Oleksandr Sivak is an Odesa journalist, businessman, publisher of the specialized publication "Shipping" and the ideological inspiration of the company Strateg, which is a recognized leader in the production of toys in Odesa.

Oleksandr Vyacheslavovych explained to us who he considers a leader, what skills one needs to possess and why leaders are made, not born.

Who is the leader?

Oleksandr Sivak believes that a leader is, first of all, a strong personality, next to whom other people feel safe, confident in their future. They listen to him, they trust him. He makes decisions and is responsible for them. The leader inspires, determines the vector for further development. Of course, leadership is hard work. And, first of all, over yourself.

To be a leader in today's world, you don't need much education and the ability to organize people. It's not about "being first" at everything or being the boss. Today, the main thing is motivation, support and the ability to guide. A leader thinks strategically and makes decisions while others look around.

Oleksandr Vyacheslavovych is guided by these principles in his businesses. Today it is the Strateg company, which has been on the market of children's board games for many years.

Sivak is sure: leaders are not born. This is a difficult way to understand how useful you can be to people. We have to come to that.

10 tips for leaders

• Take responsibility. Leadership and responsibility are practically synonymous. People who can make decisions and take responsibility attract people. You can start small - take responsibility for yourself. With experience, projects, teams, and even cities and, perhaps, the country will grow.
• Team priority. A leader always has a team. Today, people are the most valuable resource. So you need to communicate with the people who work for you. And not only about formal matters. Live communication on various topics is better, so that people can open up. For example, at Strateg, we test toys together with the team.
• Personal development. Can a real leader stop developing? The answer is no! Daily development and movement is life. If you stop, it is equal to existence.
• Psychological flexibility. This is an important requirement of the time. A modern leader must be ready for any development of events and challenges. For example, authoritarian leadership will be effective during a crisis. But during brainstorming and development of creative ideas, this method can demotivate.
• Balance of discipline and positive feedback. The main quality of a leader is openness: the ability to constructively criticize and the ability to praise an employee (even, publicly, at a meeting of the entire team).
• Do not give orders. Set a goal for employees and allow them to achieve it.
• Trust. Remember, control kills initiative. There can be no responsibility without trust. More precisely, the employee will not want to take it on.
• Be an example. When a team is inspired by a leader's example, takes an example from him and shares values, this is the key to success and successful leadership.
• Admit your failures. A strong quality for a leader. Achievement is good, but we are all human and we can make mistakes. If you fail, admit it and move on.
• Take care of yourself. The leader must be in the resource. Therefore, you need to take a break from work and spend time on yourself.