A good leader is a pillar on which the successful work of any organization is based. That person should possess certain abilities, have innovative ideas, and influence other people without coercion. The leader gives the impetus to achieve the goals.
This job is complex and therefore requires several character traits from the person performing it, without which there is no successful leader.
Do you have what it takes to lead others? What are the qualities that a quality leader must possess? Read below.
Table of Contents
Vision
A visionary leader has a clear and compelling view of the organization’s path, as well as a solid picture of what success looks like and how to achieve it.
However, it is not enough to just have a vision; leaders must also share it with others and act on it. Jack Welch, former chairman and CEO of General Electric Co., said: “Good business leaders create a vision, systematize it, hold on to it passionately, and relentlessly bring it to fruition.”
A leader must present his vision in a way that will get others to buy into it. He must communicate clearly and passionately because passion itself is highly contagious.
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A good leader must have the discipline to work decisively towards their vision as well as direct their team’s actions towards it. Action is the mark of a leader. A leader does not suffer from the so-called analysis paralysis, but always acts according to the vision, inspiring others to do the same.
Integrity
Integrity is the integration of external actions with internal values. A person of integrity can be trusted because they never stray from their inner values, even when it might be more efficient to do so. A leader must always trust his or her followers and therefore must demonstrate integrity.
Honest actions, predictable reactions, well-controlled emotions, and the absence of tantrums and rude outbursts are all signs of integrity. A leader who concentrates on integrity will be more approachable to his/her followers.
Dedication
Commitment means spending whatever time or energy is necessary to complete a task. A leader inspires commitment by doing whatever it takes to take the next step toward the vision. In doing so, leaders set an excellent example and show their followers that there are no nine-to-five jobs in a team, only opportunities to achieve something great.
Creativity
Creativity is the ability to think differently and to go beyond the everyday frameworks that limit solutions. Creativity gives leaders the ability to see things that others don’t and to lead followers in new directions accordingly. A leader’s creativity should be seen in their continual ability to come up with innovative, original, and successful ideas that can help the entire process run smoothly and successfully.
Generosity
Generosity means giving credit where credit is due. A generous leader ensures that credit for successes will be shared as widely and as much within the company as possible. Contrariwise, a good leader will take confidential responsibility for letdowns. This kind of multifaceted generosity helps others feel good about themselves and brings team members even closer together. Sharing credit and taking the blame is a hallmark of effective leadership.
Open-Mindedness
Open-mindedness means that a leader can listen to new ideas even though they may not fit into the conventional way of thinking. Good leaders can suspend judgment while listening to other people’s ideas as well as accepting new and different ways of solving problems. Open-mindedness builds mutual respect and trust between the leader and his followers and keeps the team well supplied with new ideas to expand the vision.
Confidence
Assertiveness is not the same as aggression. It is the ability to point out what the individual expects so that there are no misunderstandings. A leader must be confident to get the desired results. Along with that comes the responsibility to clearly understand what followers expect from their leader.
According to a study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, published in February 2007 by the American Psychological Association, many leaders have difficulty determining the right amount of self-confidence. The most common weakness of ambitious leaders seems to be that they are either overconfident or underconfident.
Natural traits like intelligence, good looks, height, and others are not necessary to become a leader. Anyone can develop true leadership qualities. The most necessary thing is deep inside you, it’s just a matter of whether you can find it in yourself, and with our advice, we hope you will.
