4. Eliminate Outside Distractions
Don’t schedule a meeting with your leader when you have to run an errand. Why? Your entire demeanor will show you have to leave. Thus make sure you eliminate outside distractions, so that you can maximize your time with them.
Best practices: Turn off cellular phones. If possible, leave the children at home.
5. Watch Your Body Language
We all respond through non-verbal communication or through body language. Studies show that body language says a lot about how you are feeling about what is being said in a meeting. If at all possible, ask the Holy Spirit to help you maintain a cool head. Nothing is worse than twisting your mouth, or darting your eyes, folding your arms, looking down, etc. You will lose favor with your leader. It’s career suicide!
6. Right Approach
Prepare yourself before meeting with your leader. Prayer is the best tool to use before meeting with any leader. Why? The Holy Spirit makes intercession for you before, during, and after the meeting.
Next, be prepared to listen. Expect to receive wisdom when sitting with your leader. Note, leaders expect junior leaders to be teachable.
Don’t meet or approach your leader in anger. Reschedule or calm down quickly.
Be prompt! There is nothing worse than being late for a meeting. If you are late, call and simply state: “I am running late.” Yet, once in the meeting, please don’t make excuses, just apologize, and move forward with the meeting.
Also, make sure you get plenty of rest before the meeting. Fatigue shows. And there’s nothing like trying to express your thoughts while tired. Remember, leaders are constantly being “pulled-on” by everyone, so you may only have a few minutes to get your point across. Make it count!
Don’t open the meeting complaining. Remember, leaders like solutions.
Lastly, ask your leader is this a good time to speak with them. This is a best practice I use. Leaders will remember that you value their time.
7. Stay Motivated
Leaders enjoy working with leaders who remain focused and on fire. Because new organizations undergo constant change, senior leaders rely on those individuals who know how to stay motivated.
One way to stay motivated is to stay away from disgruntled and unmotivated people in the organization who are the constant complainers—these people become thorns in the leader’s side. Remember, complainers can be persuasive, so beware of them, and move away from them quickly. Don’t let your good name be associated with them.
Another way to stay motivated is to let things go. How? Learn to exhale the day out of your spirit through prayer, meditation, exercise, relaxation, and rest.
8. Stay Calm
Don’t panic or show fear around your leader. Leaders look for those people who are sure of themselves. They look for calm people during crisis and during calm seasons. If you struggle with remaining calm, experts say to take deep breaths before speaking. This relaxes the diaphragm. Also bind the devil. Most of our anxiety comes from the devil.
9. Ask for an Assessment
Don’t wait for your leader to ask you for assessment, you ask for an assessment. Leaders love to see people who care about what they are doing. Always know where you are in the organization.
10. Manage Up
Leaders like for junior leaders to take the initiative to come up with great ideas, and to solve problems. They also like to see junior leaders remind them of progress regarding projects that are up-and-coming events. Your leader should never have to ask you the status on a project, so take the initiative and brief them.
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