|DICASTIO|

How to Improve Leadership Quality
How to Start Walking for Exercise
How to Repair Bleach Damaged Hair

Posted: 26 May 2019 01:00 AM PDT

Leadership encompasses a variety of qualities and skills. A good leader is someone who is able to manage people and tasks, communicate effectively, and foster a positive team environment. Try to develop your leadership qualities by analysing your strengths and weaknesses, and setting a good example to your colleagues.

EditSteps

EditAnalysing Your Leadership Qualities

Ask yourself what kind of leader you are. If you want to develop your leadership skills, it's important that you honestly analyse your strengths and weaknesses. Doing this will enable you to identify the areas you need to improve, and make you more aware of how you act and behave. Start by asking yourself "what kind of leader am I?"
- Perhaps you are someone who leads by example, and doesn't get too involved in other people's work.
- Or maybe you are a leader who helps to solve problems, and takes a more active and interventionist role.
- Being a good team player and helping other people get along and work together more effectively is another way of being a leader.^[1]
- You can even use online leadership quizzes to evaluate your leadership skills.^[2]
Consider how others might see you. Once you have begun to get a clearer picture of how you act as a leader, it will be helpful to consider how other people think of you as a leader. This could be your colleagues at work, or friends at school or college. You can do this by paying closer attention to team interactions, such as how often colleagues approach you for advice, and how comfortable they are doing so.^[3]
- You can also ask a trusted friend or colleague for her perception of your leadership qualities.
- You can ask a more senior colleague, who is familiar with you and your work, for some feedback and guidance on management and leadership.
Analyse your leadership qualities. After asking the initial questions about how you lead and how others perceive you, you can try to analyse you leadership qualities in greater detail. You will then decide which factors to work on. Write down the following questions and try to answer them as honestly and fully as you can:
- Do I make an effort to be aware of the thoughts and feelings of colleagues?
- Do I help others perform to their best and reach their potential?
- Do I accept responsibility?
- Do I keep an open mind and try new ideas and new ways of doing things?
- Can I communicate effectively with others?
- Am I a good problem solver?
- Do I encourage and accept other opinions and perspectives?^[4]
Identify areas to improve. These questions will help highlight which leadership qualities you are strong in, and which you need to improve. Using your answers to the questions, divide your leadership qualities into three parts. Firstly, note those qualities you feel you are very strong on. Secondly, identify which areas need some improvement. Thirdly, determine which areas you are weak on, and need considerable attention.
- For example, if you are aware of the thoughts and feelings of colleagues, and you accept other people's opinions, your openness and engagement with colleague is likely to be strong.
- If you don't help others perform to their best, and you don't communicate as effectively as you would like, these skills will need some work.
- These leadership qualities can be broken down into the more general areas of communication, inspiring and setting an example for others, openness, and teamwork and cooperation.^[5]

EditImproving Your Communication Skills

Enable effective dialogue. Communication is perhaps the most important leadership quality, and one that runs through all of the other important qualities. One of the keys to good communication is enabling positive and sometimes robust dialogue on problems and solutions. There are different styles of leadership, but someone who consistently shuts down debates and stifles discussions is unlikely to command the support of others for too long.
- Ask and encourage open questions, rather than constrictive ones.
- Highlight areas of agreement first, and deal with the disagreements second.
- Don't be overbearing, and facilitate an open environment where people are free to talk without fear.^[6]
Have positive body language. Positive body language can help you come across as dynamic, open and cooperative. It can also help you to make a strong impression when you are talking, and increase the power and effectiveness of your words. One good rule is to have body language that is consistent with what you are saying. Don't, for example, ask someone to do something while looking down at the floor. Instead make eye contact and be open and engaging.
- To have positive and affirmative body language while talking, try to maintain eye contact, stand tall and straight, and relax your face.^[7]
- Your body language may be interpreted as how you are really feeling, so try to have body language that reflects the qualities and approach of a good leader.^[8]
Be an active listener. To be a good communicator, you need to be a good listener. If you make the effort to listen to somebody, she will see that and come to think of you as someone she can talk to. This is an important leadership quality to develop. Body language is important, so try to maintain eye contact with the person you are talking to.^[9] To be an active listener:
- Don't judge people.
- Pay complete attention to the person you are talking to.
- Try to understand others, before you try make yourself understood.
- Don't interrupt unnecessarily.^[10]

EditLeading By Example

Use initiative. One aspect of good leadership is being quick and decisive to act to solve a problem. If you see something needs to be done and are confident that you know the best way to do it, use your initiative. A strong leader can be someone who is prepared to take the lead in situations without necessarily being asked to.
- Using your initiative demonstrates a positive and "can do" attitude.^[11]
- Make sure you are confident in your actions, however. Act calmly and assuredly, and don't ty to rush to a solution when the problem requires consultation.
- Another aspect of good leadership is knowing when to take advice, and understanding when a problem needs a deeper understanding before it can be addressed.
Take responsibility. To set a strong example as a leader it's essential that you take responsibility for your individual tasks and priorities as well as your team as a whole. Having clear priorities and clearly assigned roles will make it easier for people to identify and own their responsibilities.^[12]
- Support your team members to complete their tasks and try to forge a cooperative rather than a competitive environment and culture.^[13]
- Taking responsibility can also involve removing responsibilities from those who have demonstrated that they are unable to manage the tasks assigned.
Keep improving your skills. One way to demonstrate good leadership skills is to always be alert to new possibilities to learn and develop your capabilities.^[14] Showing a continuous desire to improve yourself and your work can be a motivating factor for those around you. It demonstrates your commitment to excellence and your lack of complacency.
- Organise and write down a clear set of standards for yourself personally, and then try to always stick to them.
- Try to monitor your work, and identify the areas which you can improve on.
- You can use these personal standards to draw up a personal development plan.
Provide a vision. A good leader is someone who can provide a clear and compelling vision for the short term and longer term future. The ability to plan ahead, think strategically, and develop priorities are all hallmarks of strong leaders. In order to do this, you will need to develop a broader perspective so that you can see beyond the immediate deadlines.
- Seeing the bigger picture can help you envisage problems before they arrive.
- This kind of approach can also lead to innovation and structural changes that have long term benefits.^[15]

EditFacilitating Good Teamwork

Motivate others. For teamwork you need motivated colleagues. One of the best ways for a leader to motivate her colleagues is pay attention to them and make it clear that you are there to provide support and help when required. Try to keep people focussed on the goals that are the highest priorities in order to provide a clear route forward.^[16]
- You shouldn't be the last person to find out if someone has concerns or is struggling.
- Be active and communicative to identify problems and deal with them.
- This may involve tweaking your team or the distribution of work.
- For example, if someone is losing interest as the work is not challenging her, think of ways you can get her to engage with her tasks.
- You could explain how this work, although a bit boring, is essential to the overall project.
- Say something like "I know this is a bit monotonous, but without this the whole thing falls apart. I assigned it to you because you have great attention to detail."
Commend good work. An important part of motivating others is commending good work. Look for opportunities to praise people for a job well done, and demonstrate that you appreciate what they are doing. Taking an active interest in the work of your colleagues is a key feature of a good leader who is able to motivate her team.
- With more junior members of staff, always be on the lookout for career development opportunities.
- A positive and cooperative working culture where people's hard work is respected and appreciated will result in a more motivated group.
Cooperate instead of competing. If you are trying to be a strong leader, it can be tempting to try to prompt better work by creating a competitive environment amongst your colleagues. In fact, developing a more cooperative work culture often leads to more effective working and better relationships.
- Any battles that arise in a competitive culture cost valuable time and resources to deal with.
- You are better off creating common goals that you can achieve together.^[17]
- Creating a cooperative environment will encourage collaboration and help avoid silo working.
Be visible and approachable. If you are leading a team on a project, it's important that you are available to your colleagues. Remember that a good leader is someone who not only gets the task done, but is also concerned with helping her colleagues develop and achieve their potential. Be open to mentoring more junior colleagues, and be sure to make time for one-to-one training when required.
- You can make yourself visible and available in a number of ways. For example, you might schedule in a short period each day where you are free to listen to any concerns.
- You could do this formally, or just set aside half an hour in which you can go around the team and check how everybody is getting on.
- If someone asks you something and you don't have time to deal with it right away, don't dismiss it outright. Schedule a time later when you are free to talk.

EditRelated wikiHows

EditReferences

Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found

How to Start Walking for Exercise

Posted: 25 May 2019 05:00 PM PDT

Walking is a basic movement we use every day, but it can require discipline to walk enough to gain health benefits. It's recommended that you take at least 10,000 steps each day for exercise, which can be easily measured by a pedometer. You can also use fitness watches and smart phone apps. Take time to prepare for your walk, and gradually increase your walking time and difficulty for added benefits.

EditSteps

EditPreparing for Your Walks

Find a good place to walk. Generally, the best locations for walking have a flat terrain, straight path, smooth surface and minimal traffic. The convenient choice would be the neighborhood around your block, but if the road is too steep, curvy or just not what you're looking for, you might want to consider other areas around your location.
- Ensure you are wearing appropriate footwear. Walking puts a bit of pressure on your feet, which can cause pain if you aren't wearing well-fitting walking shoes. Also, be sure you are wearing the correct footwear for the weather.
- Take your car to a park if it's too far away to walk. Parks are often flat and very peaceful.
- Some cities have bike boulevards or walking paths that are relatively flat and well-maintained. They also have less traffic from cars. These are good areas to pick for walking as well.
- If you won't be tempted to stop and browse the stores, shopping malls are also good locations for walking around. They are flat, large, and contain many different paths so you won't become bored.
- If you live near a large body of water, the shoreline can be a nice, relaxing place to get some fresh air and to work-in an early morning hike.
- If you are lucky enough to live in the country side, you can walk to your local shop, or the post box and combine a walk with a useful errand such as picking up some milk or posting a letter.
- If indoor exercise is your thing, use a treadmill set to a slow speed for walking.
Make an exercise playlist. It may help to have music playing as you take your walk, especially if you are easily bored from low-key activities. Consider listening to music that also gives your mind room to wander and think about other parts of your life. You can also listen to music that is upbeat that you know that will keep up your motivation to walk. Walks are an excellent opportunity to reflect and plan for the future, although take care to avoid stressful topics. Your walk should definitely be a chance to unwind!
- Load your favorite audio onto your phone or an MP3 player so you can listen wherever you go.
- A walk can also be a great opportunity to listen to an audiobook or podcast.
- If you are listening to music or other audio while walking outdoors, take extra care to be aware of your surroundings. Listening to something on headphones or earbuds will make it harder for you to hear approaching traffic.
Set reasonable expectations for your progress. If you have been sedentary for a long time, you will want to start out slower and aim for shorter distances. Write these tangible goals down in a notebook or calendar so that you can keep yourself on track and monitor small successes.
- For example, you might plan to start by walking 30 minutes a day, three times a week.
- Note, however, that walking is a fairly mild exercise that does not require vigorous physical exertion for most people. Therefore, with the right preparation and attire, you will likely be physically capable of walking for hours. You won't meet the same fatigue that a more vigorous exercise, such as running or weightlifting, could lead to.
Develop a strong mental attitude for "slow but steady" exercise. This will be easier for some than for others. To borrow from a popular phrase, walking is definitely a marathon, not a sprint, so get your mental endurance ready before you begin this trek.
- Don't expect to see fast results. Incorporating walking into your daily schedule is about making healthier choices towards a better lifestyle, and it's a change that you should maintain indefinitely. Don't use walking as a get-fit-quick scheme or as a quick, one-shot weight loss tool.

EditSetting out on Your Walk

Hydrate well before you begin walking. Make sure you have consumed at least 8-16 ounces (about .25-.5 liters) of water an hour before you are about to walk. Drink more water if you plan to walk for a longer time. You don't want to become dehydrated while you are exercising, especially under a hot sun.
- You may find it convenient to carry a re-usable water bottle with you as you walk, so you can stay hydrated throughout your trek.
- Some people develop stomach cramps if they drink water right before or while they exercise, so be careful of that. Give your body time to process the water before diving into exercise.
- Don't drink so much water that you'll need a bathroom while on a long walk. Alternatively, plan a route that has a public bathroom somewhere along the way.
Pick an easy first walk. Make sure that no matter how far you get from your starting point, you are able to get back there. Walking on an oval track no more than a quarter mile (0.4 km) around should be perfect.
- If you feel comfortable in extending the walk past what you initially set, go for it! Walking is less physically taxing than most activities, so don't be afraid to exceed your goals.
Set a time. When you first start walking, decide how many minutes you will walk. Choose a length of time you know you can make. Do not worry about how short that period is. Just keep moving until you reach it. 2-5 minutes each day is a good start. That time will increase from week to week.
- Pay no attention to how far you walk. It matters more that you walk for a longer period of time. Faster and farther walks will come with experience.

EditImproving Your Performance

Increase your time. With each walk, increase your walking time by 30 seconds to one minute until you are able to sustain a 10-minute walk. Again, do not fret if you can't go longer than the day before. Set the goal and keep at it and you will reach it faster than you think. After reaching 10 minutes, your rate of increasing may slow, but continue trying to increase your walking time by five minutes each week.
Work on speed and difficulty after you are able to walk for 45 minutes each day. Try moving off of the oval and onto the city streets. You will encounter hills and declines, and that will increase the difficulty of your walk.
- Continue to find more difficult terrain to work with, eventually working up to hiking up hills and cliffs for the ultimate challenge.
Determine your target and maximum heart rate. You can also purchase a heart rate monitor and wear it during your exercise for increased accuracy and precision. If you are under your target heart rate (THR), you need to increase walking speed for it to be beneficial for your health.
- Your body won't burn fat unless you reach you THR for a sustained period of time.
- When it comes to walking, weight loss and aerobic health will come through sustained effort, not through increased speed or distance.
Try switching things up with interval training. Walk at an increased rate for one to two minutes, then slow back to your normal rate for two minutes. Every day or two add an interval until you reach your desired total time, including rest periods. As you become more physically fit, reduce your rest periods until they are down to a minute or less.

EditTips

Wear comfortable clothing and sturdy, supportive athletic shoes.
Walk with a good posture. Keep your head up, your eyes forward, and your shoulders back. Move your arms at your sides while you walk, and walk with a rolling motion through the foot, from heel to toe. Keep your palms facing your hips.
Walking is a very good stress management technique in addition to being good exercise. If you practice active abdominal breathing during each step, you will benefit even more.
You might find ways to incorporate walking into your daily routine if you can't find the time to go walking for the sake of it. Take the stairs instead of the escalator or the lift; walk to the shops if they're close by; if you visit a friend who doesn't live too far away, leave the car at home. It's surprising how much difference it can make when you regularly climb a few flights of stairs and take frequent short walks.
When you are able to get and stay on your target heart rate, you will want to cool down a bit at the end of your walk. If you have been able to stay in the target rate for 20 minutes or so, spend about five minutes at the end of the walk trying to bring your heart rate back to where it was pre-walk. Slowing your pace down and doing some more light stretching can accomplish this. Do not stop walking to slow your heart rate in a cool down. It defeats the purpose of a cool down.
Learn how to race walk. It burns more calories, works more muscles and has better cardiovascular benefits.
Walking may cause cramps. If a cramp occurs, place your hands on your head and begin breathing through your nose and out your mouth at a slow steady rate. Be sure to take a water bottle with you.
In the beginning it is not necessary to warm up, however once you really start to put stress on your legs, you should do some light stretching.
If you drive, park your car a block or two away from where you live. That way, you have to walk to get to it.
If you can live in a city center where walking is a default activity and you hardly need a car, then you may find you don't even need to think about deliberately choosing walking as an exercise, as you'll just do it naturally.
If you usually drive to school/college/work, try walking to a nearby park. Or why not try parking your car a few streets away from wherever you're going and walk the rest of the way!

EditWarnings

Wear white clothing and reflective fabrics if you will be walking at night. Don't assume that drivers are paying attention or that they can see you after dark.
Be prepared for your walk. Take water with you. Also take along a whistle in case you get into trouble with dogs or unsavory people. Carrying a cell phone is also a good idea.
If you are walking and become short of breath, slow down or stop. Ask for help if you need it.
Before undertaking this or any other exercise program, be sure to check with your doctor, especially if you haven't been physically active in more than 6 months.

EditThings You'll Need

A water bottle
A cell phone for emergencies
A danger whistle to call for help should you run into trouble, e.g. a criminal, threatening animal, or physical distress
A hat, sunblock and sunglasses on sunny days
An MP3 or CD player so you can listen to music while walking
A small, clip-on pocket light or flashing armband, especially where there is no proper sidewalk or where cyclists use the sidewalk and may not see you in the dark

EditRelated wikiHows

How to Repair Bleach Damaged Hair

Posted: 25 May 2019 09:00 AM PDT

Bleaching your hair doesn't just strip the color from it. It also breaks down fatty acids on the hair shaft, leaving your hair dry and fragile. The damage done to your hair is permanent, but there are steps you can take to make your hair more manageable and promote new, healthy hair growth. Nourish bleach damaged hair by giving it extra moisture and protein right after you bleach it. Then, nurture it in the long term and avoid anything that can cause more damage to rebuild healthy locks.

EditSteps

EditCaring for Your Hair

Skip the shampoo for the first 24-48 hours after bleaching. Bleaching severely dries out your hair, so don't strip any more natural oils away by shampooing. Try to hold off washing with shampoo as long as you can. You can still rinse and condition your hair.^[1]
- The cuticle of your hair becomes very swollen and fragile right after bleaching. This may give you the appearance of more body, but shampooing can further damage your vulnerable locks.
Apply an intensive hair treatment instead of conditioner every other wash. Apply a hair oil or cream mask to dry hair before you get in the shower. Let it sit for 3-5 minutes, then rinse and shampoo your hair.^[2]
- Try making your own hot oil treatment with olive, coconut, or avocado oil to add deep-penetrating moisture to the hair shaft.
- You can also wrap your head in a towel and let the oil stay on your hair while you sleep. Rinse it out in the morning in the shower and then shampoo and style as usual.
- If you find oil-based products too heavy, try a cream-based hair mask from your stylist or local drug store.
Use a leave-in conditioner every day to add moisture to your hair. Boost the power of your regular conditioner by applying a leave-in conditioner after you shower. Use the conditioner to help style your hair and keep frizz under control.^[3]
- A leave-in conditioner will be especially helpful for taming your locks in extremely hot or cold weather.
Use an at-home protein mask to nourish your hair on a budget. An at-home protein mask is a great way to deep condition your hair without spending money at a salon. You can typically find these at your local drug store, or you can purchase them online.^[4]
- Look for products that contain the hair-healthy protein keratin.
- Make your own protein mask at home by mixing together 1 egg and a large spoonful of plain yogurt. Add an extra spoonful (or 2) of yogurt if you have longer than shoulder-length hair. Leave the mask on for 30 minutes, then rinse your hair with cold water, to avoid cooking the egg in your hair.
- Apply your protein mask every night for the first week after bleaching if your hair is especially brittle.
Be gentle with your hair, especially when it's wet. Your hair is especially vulnerable to breakage when it's wet, so always wait to brush or comb it until it's completely dry. Be gentle when towel-drying your hair, too. Use a soft, microfiber towel to gently blot your hair dry, since rubbing or squeezing your hair can cause it to break.^[5]
- If you don't have a soft towel, try drying your hair with an old T-shirt instead!
Cut off as much of the damaged ends as possible. Ask your stylist to trim off your split ends. If you hair is breaking off in the middle, try getting your haircut in a style that seamlessly incorporates the length of the broken-off pieces.^[6]
- Split ends are when the end of the hair shaft divided into multiple, smaller hairs. This can travel all the way down your to your scalp, resulting in damaged, frizzy hair. Cutting the ends prevents the damage from moving down the shaft.
- If you don't want to do a drastic cut right away, have your stylist cut off about and then get your hair trimmed every month or so, taking off more and more of the damaged bits every time.
Have a protein treatment done at a salon if it's within your means. Protein will help make your hair stronger and less likely to break off. The most intensive protein treatments are applied at professional salons. Talk to your hairstylist about what type would be best for your hair. The sooner you have the treatment done, the more breakage and damage you can prevent.^[7]
- Most hair salons have different strength treatments and formulas for various purposes. Even after your first intensive treatment, you can continue to get protein and/or moisture treatments every few months to keep your hair healthy. Discuss the perfect plan with your hair stylist.
Take hair-strengthening vitamins to encourage healthy new growth. Omega 3-rich fish oil capsules can help transform your hair from the inside out. Try taking the supplement for about 6 months to see if you see an improvement in your new hair growth.^[8]
- For a vegan alternative, try a flaxseed oil supplement.

EditProtecting Your Hair from Further Damage

Shampoo your hair 1-2 times a week. Shampoo strips your hair of natural oils that keep it healthy. Since bleached hair naturally has less oil, you should wash it less. Aim to shampoo your hair once per week if possible.^[9]
- If shampooing once per week is not enough, try slowly cutting down to about 2-3 times per week instead. You can also try using dry shampoo in between your shampoo days, to help keep your hair clean and fresh.
- Avoid shampoos containing sulfates, which will further dry out your hair.
- Try using a cleansing conditioner instead of shampoo to gently clean and nourish your hair. Ask your hairstylist for a recommendation. You can switch over entirely to a cleansing conditioner or use a sulfate-free shampoo and cleansing conditioner interchangeably.
Protect your hair from the sun. Bleached hair is particularly vulnerable to UV light, and it can even lead to sunburns on your scalp if you aren't prepared. If you plan on being outside for more than an hour, bring a hat or parasol along.^[10]
- For even more protection, spray your hair with a sunscreen oil spray made with natural like coconut oil and shea butter.
Avoid chemicals like chlorine. If you go swimming with bleached hair, keep your head above water or wear a swim cap to protect your hair from the chlorine. Since bleached hair is more vulnerable to damage, you need to be wary of keeping any chemicals in your hair for too long.^[11]
- Rinse your hair thoroughly after swimming to get any chlorine out as soon as possible.
- If you plan to shampoo your hair after it's been exposed to chlorine, use a chlorine-removing shampoo. Ask your stylist for a suggestion, or browse the options at your local drug store. A clarifying shampoo will also remove chlorine from your hair.
Avoid using heat to treat or style your hair. Experiment with low-maintenance styling options. Let your hair air dry when it's wet, and embrace your hair's natural texture so you don't have to use a curling iron or straightener.^[12]
- Bleached hair is already brittle, and adding heat will make it more prone to breakage.
- If you must occasionally use heat for styling, spray your hair with a heat protectant and keep your styling tool on the lowest heat setting.
Keep your hairstyle simple. Avoid excessive combing or styling that pulls, bends, and breaks hairs. Let your hair recover by leaving it free as much as possible. Don't put tight hair ties, clips, or bobby pins in your hair.^[13]
- If you must put your hair up with a hair tie, try using a gentle, no-crease hair tie. Hair ties that leave creases in your hair when you wear them can cause your hair to break.
Bleach new regrowth very gently. Speak to your stylist about creating a look for your hair that is more gentle on your hair. Try a look that doesn't require dragging the bleach through to the ends of your hair every time. Ask about making your roots a darker color than the ends, so you won't need to bleach your new hair growth as intensely.^[14]
- If you have to bleach your hair again, you can help prepare and protect your hair by sleeping with coconut oil in your hair the day before the treatment.