Everyone is a leader but only a selected few are a great leader. A leader is someone who establishes a clear vision and guides the team towards that vision by empowering and coaching them to greatness. Being a good leader is the most important part of having an engaged and productive team.
Great leaders find the balance between foresight, performance, and character. They have vision, courage, integrity, humility and focus along with the ability to plan strategically and catalyze cooperation among their team.
Here are some of the key qualities of a good leader should possess or learn from.
Honesty:
Wise leaders are not afraid of communicating the truth to their people. Honesty leads to a better productive relationship. Your company and its employees are a reflection of yourself.
“Honesty is the fastest way to prevent a mistake from turning into a failure.” – James Altucher
Delegate:
Always remember that you can’t do everything on your own. It is important for a leader to focus on key responsibilities while leaving the rest to others. By that, it empowers your followers and delegating task to them.
“The first rule of management is delegation. Don’t try and do everything yourself because you can’t.” – Anthea Turner
Communication:
A good communicator can be a good leader. Communication should be consistent when it comes to establishing work expectations or giving constructive feedback. It involves more than just listening attentively to others and responding appropriately.
“In many ways, effective communication begins with mutual respect, communication that inspires, encourages others to do their best.” – Zig Ziglar
Confidence:
Another quality that defines a good leader is having confidence. As a leader, it is your responsibility to maintain the team morale and keep moving forward.
“Believe in yourself. Have faith in your abilities. Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers, you cannot be successful or happy.” – Norman Vincent Peale
Motivate:
The best leaders inspire their followers by setting a good example.
“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Rohn
Empathy:
Good leaders guide employees through challenges and are always on the lookout for a solution. Leaders understand the problems of their followers and feel their pain even it is not enough until leaders provide a suitable solution to their problem.
“Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself.” – Mohsin Hamid
Accountability:
Good leaders take responsibility for everyone’s performances as well as their own.
“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” – Maria Robinson
Positive Attitude:
Keep the energy levels up to keep your team motivated towards the continued success of the company. Keep the mood a fine balance between productivity and playfulness.
“A positive attitude is something everyone can work on, and everyone can learn how to employ it.” – Joan Lunden
Vision:
A leader with vision have a clear, exciting idea of where they are going and what they are trying to accomplish.
“Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.” – Jonathan Swift
Responsible:
The last quality that defines a good leader is being responsible. A good leader does not make excuses; they take the blame and work out how to fix the problem.
“Leadership – leadership is about taking responsibility, not making excuses.” – Mitt Romney
These qualities are the foundation of a good leadership. The best leaders drive their team forward with passion, enthusiasm, inspiration, and motivation. They nurture the strengths and talents of their people and build teams committed to achieving common goals.
