Are You Leading In The Online Space?

The World Wide Web is a vast, otherworldly place in what feels like another dimension. There we find knowledge, awareness, entertainment and also distraction. It has become both empowering and malevolent to many.

The Internet is most positively viewed as a medium for education, personal relationships and the economy. These are areas every leader needs to have and understand if they want to make a mark in the world.

Author John Green and his brother Hank, as well as Salman “Sal” Khan, have made learning and education accessible to everyone via YouTube with their learning channels, Crash Course and The Khan Academy respectively. You can learn so many things online with just a click of a button. And knowledge empowers leaders.

These men are leaders of education. There are many other ways one can become a leader online.

Online leadership is about leveraging digital platforms such as blogs, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and other networks to build a base of ardent followers who are eager to learn and grow from all these experiences and ideas.

For business owners or budding entrepreneurs, these platforms make you visible, and help to increase your prospects and sales.

It is no easy feat to gain momentum online but the first step is to try and be bold.

Swim against the current

Leaders have a vision to do something great; to create a ripple effect. This often means entering unchartered waters and challenging the way things sail while sharing the journey with others.

Entrepreneur and author Tim Ferris did this when he wrote the 4-Hour-Workweek, a book that challenges the traditional notions of long working hours and taking a few vacation breaks. The book reached No. 1 on the New York Times Bestseller list.

Deliver and then deliver some more

Your reputation is your most valuable asset and that’s why it’s vital to go above and beyond.

Challenging yourself to exceed expectations by committing to making something of quality will give your visitors, subscribers and customers reason to support you and refer you to others.

Think of the times when you’ve ordered something and it came before the estimated delivery date. How did you feel? Were you excited?

Share the stage

You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.? —Zig Ziglar

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Do more than re-tweet an article link or say “check this out” on your Facebook wall. Share your thoughts and highlight what you’re supporting. Show your followers you are attentive and respect their time.

Are you a hashtag-worthy leader? Tell us who are some of these leaders and why (for all you know, they can be tagged for all the wrong reasons). To learn how to leverage social media for your organisation, e-mail us at training@leaderonomics.com. For more Try This articles, click here.