Leadership Characteristics
Why do we eagerly follow one person and not another? Why do certain people elicit a sense of loyalty and trust in us? Turns out effective leaders have specific qualities that make them good at what they do and inspire us.
1. Courageous
There’s a reason courage is at the top of this list. It’s the foundation of many other leadership attributes. For example, you can’t be a good communicator if you avoid conflict like the plague.
2. Ethical
3. Resilient
Resilience is a leadership quality that enables you to bounce back when things fall apart. If your response to a crisis is, well, falling apart, your employees will too. They may even start updating their resumes.
That’s not to say expressing emotions is weak. In fact, it makes you more human and a better leader. But you must always focus on recovering from setbacks, not wallowing in despair.
4. Humble
Humbly admitting when you are wrong shows strength in leadership. In fact, it’s what makes a great leader. Owning your mistakes models for employees how to act when they screw up. The power of believing that you can improve is what, for a leader, transforms a failure into a powerful force of change.
You can also practice humility by appreciating that you don’t shoulder all of the work for your company. You are the rudder that guides your crew to be their best selves. If you want to display exceptional leadership, pay attention to your team’s talent.
Share the successes your company achieves with others who have contributed, and encourage collaboration and growth. Your business moves forward as you include your team in important decisions and remain grateful for their input.
5. Coachable
A solid team works best with a leader who is open to changing their attitude and behavior. If a leader isn’t coachable and lets their ego dominate the conversation, team members won’t be inspired to give their best.
6. Patient
Leadership requires that you calmly evaluate problems, and locate the source of dysfunction. Of course, even the most level-headed leaders feel angry and impatient sometimes. But they take the time to calm down before they act.
7. Problem-solver
8. Motivated
9. Honest
Studies have shown that dishonesty causes enough stress in the brain and body to negatively impact performance. Even when things aren’t going too well, it’s necessary to be honest with your team.
It’s difficult to be honest and direct when giving critical feedback. That’s no reason to avoid asking for better work — practice combining compassion with honesty to get better results.
10. Determined
11. Creative
In the daily grind of running a business, there are constant distractions and demands on your attention. Stress and deadlines, although sometimes unavoidable, destroy creative thinking.
12. Decisive
13. Trustworthy
The effects on performance are immediate — and negative. Leaders who create a sense of safety and belonging, using techniques like Conversational Intelligence, are neutral when they approach criticism and conflict.
14. Great communicator
This is a huge topic because there are many channels and contexts for communication, and different people have different communication styles. That means there are many opportunities to get it wrong — or get it right.
15. Optimistic
Keeping a positive outlook doesn’t mean that you have to be happy and smiling all the time. Instead, a great leader acts from the core belief that the business benefits people and will lead to success for the team.
To develop optimism as a leadership characteristic, always look for possibilities. For example, when you’re certain something can’t be done, you won’t inspire anyone to try. When you shoot down ideas without actively looking for potential, you destroy creativity.
16. Purposeful
Here is where the inner vision of an exceptional leader takes center stage. This vision is a big difference between someone who is a boss or manager and someone who is a true leader.
Remarkable leadership is a by-product of learning how to find your purpose in life. A leader acts with a purpose, a dream that the world can be a better place. They seek to solve problems and help people improve their lives.
A purposeful leader isn’t interested in business for the sake of business. They see profit as simply a side effect of creating profound beneficial change in the lives of others. Those on the team of a purposeful leader work each day with a dream of a better world in their hearts.
17. Growth mindset
Instead of being stuck with an existing set of skills, great leaders believe growth is always possible. With this mindset, they have an intense desire to learn. They embrace effort and pursue mastery.
Leadership FAQ.
The best definition is leadership is the act of motivating other people toward a common goal. People that have leadership skills showcase a strong personality and interpersonal skills to lead others in their direction.
Leaders inspire others to follow a certain path in life. These leadership traits and skills are important because human nature requires that certain people need to take charge and help others. Without leaders, it’s very difficult to manage large groups of people, set unified goals, and make progress.
Leaders help their team and organization make progress and act in the right way. Good leaders should build a vision, set clear goals and directions, and map a dynamic path forward for their team or group.
While a leader is simply a figurehead, a manager should exhibit the right leadership skills to motivate their team to work harder and get projects done faster. Good managers need to be empathetic, exhibit the behavior they want from their team, take responsibility for their actions, delegate effectively, and give praise when needed.
Leaders should act a certain way and there are some negative qualities that leaders should never exhibit. Some of these are:
1. Fail to set clear goals for their teams.
2. Insult or degrade people.
3. Give praise too easily.
4. Act inappropriately or exhibit behavior that you wouldn’t expect from team members.
5. Not hold regular meetings with their subordinates.
6. Fail to take decisive actions.
7. Act tough or lack empathy.
Resource:
https://soulsalt.com/leadership-characteristics/
https://www.adamenfroy.com/leadership-qualities