Leadership skills from the longest reigning Monarch

Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1952 at the age of 25. The Queen inspires the world with her dignified leadership and extraordinary grace with which her duties are carried out. There are some strong lessons that can be learnt from Elizabeth II for leaders in any walk of life.

Appearance matters

We all know the value of a positive first impression. It is important not to forget that depending on the way you put yourself together, you are sending a message and making a difference in how people view you. Ever since her inheritance of the thrown, Elisabeth II needed an easily identifiable signature in order for people to be able to recognize her easily. It’s the case for other well-known people such as Steve Jobs for example. He was identifiable by the way he would dress with his black turtleneck and jeans.

Obviously, leaders are not asked to stand out in a crowd as the Quenne Elizabeth would do. However, your clothes and the behavior you have is sending out signals. You need to consider the message you are sending out through your appearance and adjust it depending on the desired message.

Words matter

Because of the Queen’s duties, she is often required to speak in public. Even though she doesn’t master every language, nor every dialect, she is able to adapt and speak the “language” of others. It is the same in leadership: by speaking the language of others, you are establishing credibility with a wide variety of people. It is important the think through and prepare your message before delivering it to your audience.

Showing up matters

At the age of 89, The Queen still does a lot of public appearances. Her job is mainly to show up and make a good impression. For leaders, it’s the same. You may feel that you’re always “on stage” and get tired of it. The next time you feel like calling in sick, think of The Queen, on show up fully.

A small tip if you’re asking yourself in which place at the office a leader should be most? The corner office, with a view on your entire team is not where you will be the most effective. Better work alongside with your team.