How to Be a Better Leader in 2011

If you're eager to put the past year behind you and start fresh, you've got plenty of company.

More companies are shifting focus from tactical topics, such as sales, to more strategic topics, such as leadership, according to AmyK Hutchens of AmyK International Inc., a leadership and sales training company based in San Diego, Calif.

"Everyone was so focused on surviving and cutting, they're just now looking up and realizing they have no clear next steps, limited vision and no energy," Hutchens says.

Want to become a better leader in 2011? Here are three tips from Hutchens

1. Focus on energy, not time. "What's sucking out your energy and what refuels it?" she asks. "Your answers will influence your strategy for energy management within the constraints of time."

2. Ask better questions. Leadership happens one conversation at a time. When preparing for a meeting, spend five minutes coming up with three to five questions that will lead to a more productive, more thought-provoking meeting. "Those five minutes will save you hours down the road," she says.

3. Create internal alignment. Step back and ask yourself: What am I resisting? What am I judging? What am I attached to? Answer these three questions and you'll gain clarity, insight and a foundation for momentum. 

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