Originally Posted by
Arez
I've hosted many alliances over my time in Evony, all of which have been very successful in many ways, I feel a leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. I'm writing this guide to express my perception of what traits effective leaders should have when running an alliance, I believe no one has written a guide like this before, so I felt I needed to, I'm going to be listing 6 traits I believe to be key when hosting an alliance, I urge people to contribute with some of their own in comments.
Six traits of effective leaders:
1.Make others feel important
a) Greet everyone you met with enthusiasm, with every encounter you come across greet them with such enthusiasm and energy, make them feel like you truly adore them, greeting people with such a level of enthusiasm sets the tone for the entire encounter, this is very important when trying to gain new members, but Never forget to always make you current members feel important, no point doing the hard work in gaining members if you can't retain current ones. The best way to make a lasting impression is to take the time to make others feel genuinely valued
b) Take your time in every conversation you encounter with your members, when someone is talking, focus on taking in what is being said instead of thinking what you are going to say next, relax and listen before responding. With this form of deep listening you can work on determining and identify there needs. Slow down and savour the connection you can make with your members, even in casual conversations.
c) Once you have taken the time to listen, make sure you REMEMBER what was said, If they come to you about a problem, make sure you remember and make strides into fixing it, it's often helpful to write down notes of what you will say the next time you speak to them, this simple skill shows people that they are important to you.
d) Appreciate the small things people do for you and never pass up the opportunity to say thanks, a few kind words or a small note is plenty which creates a climate of appreciation and trust, which will make a huge difference to your alliance.
2. Promote a vision
a) Leaders see their vision, and then they communicate their vision in a manner that taps into and engages the dreams of their members. During tough times, effective leaders communicate more frequently with their members about where the alliance is heading, how they intend to get there and the importance of everyone's roles. Effective leaders really do rally the troops.
3. Optimism
a) Successful leadership is a boundless font of optimism that never seems to end. When faced with a problem, they view it as a challenge. When faced with a setback, they view it as a new direction, when told no, they say, "Maybe not now, but I know you'll change your mind later." It's this belief in the positive that serves as the foundation for dealing with the many set-backs one will inevitably encounter in the world of Evony.
4. Admit mistakes
a) Perhaps it could be said that a mistake a day makes us human. And, there have been some days when I would been happy with just one mistake. No matter the frequency, we all make mistakes, to admitting these mistakes is the first step to gaining respect, but how you respond to this mistake is what is most important. 'Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.'
b) In many instances, our first response when confronting a mistake is to deny it or make up an excuse. We don't want to seem stupid or ill informed. We must have the self-confidence and integrity to admit our mistakes. Only with such admission will we maintain the trust of those we lead. When I have made a mistake that has upset an individual, often I find that a simple apology goes a long way. We make decisions every day based upon imperfect information in the imperfect world of Evony, you will always be mislead or misguided. Accepting our error, rather than avoiding responsibility, limits the potential damage and sets us on the right course.
5. Criticize others only in private
a) Before you ever think about criticising someone, ask yourself the following question: "Why am I doing this?" If your answer is "To help this person improve," proceed. Any other reason isn't valid, but ALWAYS remember to only do this in private, this is all about delivering constructive rather than destructive criticism.
6. Stay close to the action
a) Example has more followers than reason. We unconsciously imitate what pleases us, and approximate to the characters we most admire. Good leadership takes strength of character and a firm commitment to do the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason. This means doing what you say, when you say it. If your team can't trust you, you'll probably never lead them to greatness.
Those are the 6 traits I firmly believe in and try uphold as a leader myself, I hope for that this guide will help others when deciding to lead an alliance.
Please comment below if you wish to add other traits that you may feel are missing.
