The best way to become a more successful leader is to disregard it as your goal and focus on your learning journey.

That includes a combination of your everyday experience at work, with experiences of your own making. One of the most valuable skills I have learned is that if you want to be a leader, you need to be both focused and curious. Learning is also important, and the ability to teach is simply a must.

To become a successful leader, you must:

• Face challenges.

A great leader is a brave yet prudent. You should be ready to face challenges and answer for the consequences of your decisions.

• Be honest.

Inform your coworkers or members of both good and bad news, and how they going to react. You are responsible for establishing a calm environment among everybody, so they are sure that they are unlikely to be hit with unpleasant surprises.

• Win trust.

 Your team will become engaged and loyal if they feel they are surrounded by people they can trust. The first and most important aspect of building trust is to get involved in coworkers or members’ everyday work problems. Pay close attention to those who are behind everyone else, and devote some time to explaining their task to them. The second step is to get to know their lives outside the office. But, don’t overdo it—no one likes intrusive bosses.

• Keep calm.

Professionals never show their emotions. You have to stay focused, and if you feel overwhelmed, it is better to take a walk or even stay and work from home. Your colleagues, partners, and even your managers make mistakes; nevertheless you can never allow yourself to correct them in anger. Instead, calmly explain the situation and what you expect them to do in the future.

• Pursue your passions.

Although it is a bit clichéd, it is true that you will never become a leader if you are heading in the wrong direction in your career. Being young allows us to try and understand what is interesting yet beneficial for us. Use your time well.

• Listen and observe.

If you are determined to become a leader, you will have to be the best at listening and observing. People express themselves with their manners, words, and body language every day. You can tell a lot about a person if you observe them. See what they are passionate about, what makes them excited, which tasks make them gloomy, and which seem to make them happy.

• Set an example.

Be the kind of leader you would follow yourself. You may not know every task 100 percent, but it is essential to understand how to solve or better improve each situation. If you were promoted to become a manager of a department, you have to know specifics of the work and each member. It is you who must take responsibility for each task, and not your coworkers. Your main aim as a leader is to set an example; so for instance, if you want them to be at work on time, you should be punctual yourself.

• Stay organized.

Your desk should be clean and your orders should be easy to understand. You should know the plan for each day and every week. And also share the plans with your members, so they can be organized too.

• Earn respect.

Earning respect is easy—all you have to do is conduct yourself in an ethical way and model what you expect from the others on your team. Show them you know where you are going, and that you are not only telling your team what to do, but also marching in step.

• Understand yourself.

Try to do everything to notice the impact you have on others. If you reach the point when self-awareness is your strength, it means you are ready to go on a long-term leadership journey.