7 Things I Practiced as a Leader

Hey everyone,

I just like to take this opportunity to show my regards to every leader out there trying to make a difference for their team. Most team members don’t understand what leaders go through and their daily responsibilities.

Being a leader is never an easy job. I have met many people who failed at their job despite being in their position for years. Contrary to popular belief leaders have an evolving job description where they have to constantly change their practices based on their team’s mindset. It’s like being the middle-order batsman where you have to adapt to the game’s situation.

Being a first time leader comes with several challenges and I understand that because I have been both a manager and an entrepreneur. If you want to know what not to do as a leader, you can watch my video.

But if you want to learn what to do as a leader, you can keep reading. Let’s just say, however, you see Burhan Mirza today, he is what he is because of his ethical leadership practices. My journey has made me an entrepreneur leading and mentoring multiple leaders and I believe my words will be impactful in your career.

1. Always Led With Courage

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." — Winston Churchill

Nobody wants to follow a leader who isn’t courageous enough to find for their team. We all want to follow people with stature, those who stand for their colleagues. I was always a person who kept my team in high regard and on the front foot to help them grow in their career. Whatever issue they faced with the higher management I always took care of it making sure my team members didn’t bear the burden beyond what they were supposed to.

2. Always Gave Credit to The Deserving

“Any manager is as good as their team lead” — Burhan Mirza

I have said it many times and I’ll circle back to my point again. Never, ever take credit for your team’s performance and undermine those who worked on the project. Best leaders are those who accept all defeats and give away success to their team members uplifting their morale - because everyone in an organization knows that top performance comes under your leadership. Stealing credit is always comes at the risk of losing your best players and running dry under work pressure!

3. Always Stay Accountable

A good leader takes more than their share of the blame and less than their share of the credit." - Burhan Mirza

Accountability as a leader goes beyond your personal actions—it’s about taking responsibility for your team in front of others. If I am leading them, I am responsible for answering them. My team members always had, and still have the right to question my decisions and I’ll answer them in the best way possible. If someone adds value to my decision, I take it into account and put it into practice if their opinion is better. Though the final decision is mine, my team always had the right to judge my decisions and put up their argument.

4. Always Accept Change

"Change is inevitable. Growth is optional." - Burhan Mirza

Adaptability to change makes you flexible and helps you adjust to different situations. Professional life is filled with ups and downs, it’s our mindset that enables us to quickly adapt to shifting tides. I always approached changes with open arms and welcomed them to my workspace without cutting back on my work performance!

5. Always Empower Your Team Without Limits

"It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do." - Steve Jobs

Whether it’s financial or performance growth, I never put limits on my team. If someone comes up to me with a new set of tasks they’d like to add to their job, I always appreciate them for going the extra mile. Giving your team members the freedom to accept more tasks and cutting down their existing tasks is an action that pays well in the future. In fact, there was a time when my team members earned more than me and I never let that come between my work performance.

6. Always Stay Open to Uncomfortable Conversations

"Open conversations in the workplace create trust, foster collaboration, and pave the way for innovation and growth." - Burhan Mirza

I believe a lot of people tend to dodge uncomfortable conversations with their team and it’s because of this barrier they create. Uncomfortable conversations such as discussing incentives based on performance and salary growth shouldn’t be avoided. These conversations expand trust boundaries and help you connect better with your team members.

7. Always Foster Fairness and Inclusivity

“Favoritism destroys company roots and your connection with your colleagues” - Burhan Mirza

Providing undue support, special care, or financial growth to certain team members can destroy a company from within. When managers play favorites, they create a tense and uncomfortable environment where others feel undervalued or even threatened. This not only harms team morale but also impacts productivity and often drives employees to look for opportunities elsewhere.

To foster a healthy work culture, always be mindful of your interactions with your team. Treat everyone fairly and ensure equal opportunities for growth and recognition. A fair workplace is a productive one.