What makes a good leader? Is it something in his or her genetic makeup that makes it easier for them to lead people? Are they the product of years of training? Continue reading to discover the top qualities that you need to foster to improve your leadership qualities.
Honesty – Honesty should be at the top of every list, no matter what position you’re looking to obtain. If you want your team members to trust and respect you, it is essential that you are honest with them. If you get into the habit of lying about little things and someone finds out, it will undermine your authority as a leader. If your team members don’t trust you, they’re not going put their hearts into your projects.
Communication – You need to be able to get your point across clearly and concisely. In the same vein, you also need to be able to talk to your team members, and be willing to listen! Good communication going in both directions is essential to ensure a stable and effective team, and you, as the leader, need to be the one to foster that communication. Ask questions to your team members and really listen to their responses.
Education – While this will not necessarily prevent you from becoming a leader, the old phrase “Knowledge is Power holds considerable weight in this case. If you are working within a company, make sure you are up-to date on any policies and procedures that might affect your work. If you’re planning to start a project in the near future concerning a topic or product that you’re not familiar with, collect information as much as possible before you begin.
Flexibility – You need to learn to bend considerably before you break. Things will not always go the way you plan or expect them to, and sometimes this change in routine can cause considerable stress for you and your team mates. Don’t panic and in absolutely no circumstances should you take out that stress on your teammates. Instead, be flexible and turn a bad situation into a beneficial one.
Delegation – This can be one of the hardest leadership exercises to practice, especially for someone who is used to doing everything themselves. If you have ever said “If you want something done right, do it yourself”, then this skill might be difficult for you to learn. Assign responsibilities and projects to your team members and take a step back. You need to be available if any questions or problems arise, but for the most part you need to trust your team to complete the projects to your satisfaction and to do so independently.
Organization – No one is going to respect you as a leader if they walk into your office and can’t find you behind all the clutter on your desk. The same thing applies if you show up to a presentation and can’t find your notes because your bag is a mess, or you forget your suit when you head to a conference. Not only will being organized make your life simpler, it will make you appear more confident and in control.
Confidence – If you don’t have confidence in yourself and in your team, you will never inspire them to be confident in themselves. While each individual belongs to a team, they need to be sure of themselves and be confident in their abilities to succeed at any task that is set before them. What sort of example are you setting for them if you cannot even be confident in your own abilities?
Inspirational – One of the most important skills you will learn as a leader is how to inspire others. You may have a team member that is a fantastic artist and would make a stunning graphic designer with a little bit of practice. Your job is to inspire him or her to become the amazing artist that you know they can be. Not only will it help you to gain the trust and confidence of your team member, you will also gain an individual with a valuable skill for your team.
Humor – Never lose your sense of humor. If you let every little bad thing get to you, you’ll go grey before you reach your 30th birthday. No matter what bad things happen, with a little ingenuity and a good sense of humor, you can always turn it to your advantage. Servers crashed? Break out some beach balls and play volleyball in the break room while you wait for tech support to arrive. Roof falls in? Time to work from home. Pajama day! There’s no situation that can’t be improved with a smile and a good solid sense of humor.
Commitment – Your team can’t think that you’re too good to get in there and get your hands dirty once in a while. If you want to really inspire people to work with you, make sure they know that you are more than willing to work with them. Don’t be the boss sitting on the pedestal with the whip driving people to work. Be the leader that’s down on the ground helping them work and directing them from equal footing.
This is just a small sampling of the leadership skills you will need to obtain to become an effective leader. If you don’t already have these skills, it will take hard work and perseverance to obtain them. It is not, however, impossible.