As an ambitious leader, you want to be someone that people recognise and remember, don’t you?

Being a memorable leader can be easy because people tell their “horror stories” fairly regularly. If you think back on the leaders who stand out in your mind, it’s probably the ones who made mistakes who are remembered.

You want to be a memorable leader for the right reasons, and here are some tips on how to do that.

Think about what the not-so-good leaders did and be different. If you remember a leader who never made eye contact before their second coffee, then aim to be a leader who greets their team every day.

When we caught up recently, someone I worked with over twenty years ago commented that they remembered how I would say good morning to them and their team every day—they weren’t my team, but they were colleagues.

There are invaluable lessons to be gleaned from the mistakes of others. By learning from these experiences, you can navigate your leadership journey with greater insight and understanding.

Franklin Roosevelt said it best: “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

Memorable leaders show that they care for their teams. No, we’re not talking about group hugs or anything like that! And not going to the extent of being best friends with your team. Some of the things that good leaders do to show that they care are:

• Have meaningful career and skill development conversations
• Hold regular feedback and check-in sessions with team members
• Give praise in ways that have meaning to the recipient
• Follow up and follow through with commitments made
• Maintain accountability and professional standards
• Be an appropriate role model

As you embark on your leadership journey, remember that your ultimate goal is to be a leader who is remembered for the right reasons. Let this aspiration inspire and guide your actions.

Pam Macdonald, Broadspring Consulting

Having made multiple successful career transitions, Pam Macdonald has turned her passion for people (along with her energy) into powerful and practical coaching and leadership development. Known and respected for her ability to cut to the chase, Pam is also highly effective at guiding people into new and effective levels of leadership performance. Pam is a speaker at our October Young Guns Workshop event. Earlybird pricing ends on 20 September.