Qualities To Look For In A Leader – To be a great leader, you need to develop qualities like wisdom, integrity, critical thinking, respect and compassion.
Ever thought that you are either born with these traits or you are not (we call it the Trait Theory of Leadership). It was once believed that “great people” are born, not made (Judge et al., 2009).
Qualities To Look For In A Leader
Women – forged through experience (Tremaine, 2016). Through their experiences, leaders develop the wisdom and tacit knowledge necessary to become truly great leaders. Below are some of the qualities we commonly associate with these great leaders.
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1. Vision: A leader has a clear understanding of where they want to go and a solid plan of action. This includes setting strategic goals for the team and making sure everyone understands the larger mission (like a company CEO planning a long-term growth strategy).
2. Assertiveness: Managers are responsible for making difficult decisions. After they discuss with their team and gather all the important information, the final decision is usually made by the manager.
3. Integrity: A leader demonstrates integrity by being honest, ethical and trustworthy. It builds trust in the team and earns respect from team members. This respect and trust will ensure team members follow the leader at all times.
4. Communication skills: Effective managers know how to communicate well. These qualities include expressing thoughts, plans and expectations clearly and effectively and changing communication styles to different audiences.
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5. Empathy: This important quality allows a leader to understand and share the feelings of others. Empathy fosters trust and loyalty and fosters an open and fair work environment.
6. Durability. Leaders who demonstrate resilience do not see failure as a disaster, but as an opportunity to learn and grow. They bounce back from setbacks and inspire their teams to do the same.
7. Problem solving skills. Strong leaders are often characterized by the ability to think critically and solve problems effectively. They can break down complex issues and guide their teams toward effective solutions.
8. Adaptability: Good leaders are able to change their strategies as new information becomes available. They adapt to changing business conditions and climates, changing their tactics and leading their teams in new directions as needed.
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9. Confidence: A good leader maintains confidence not only in himself but also in his team. They radiate a strong sense of self-confidence, showing faith in their abilities and the competence of their team members.
10. Accountability: Managers are responsible for the results of their actions and decisions. They admit their mistakes and can admit they are wrong. This quality promotes a sense of responsibility in the team.
11. Inspire others: Effective leaders can inspire those around them. They encourage team members to strive for excellence and strive for success by fostering a motivated and positive work environment.
12. Strategic thinking: Successful leaders know how to think strategically. They can see the bigger picture, anticipate future challenges and develop plans to overcome them.
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13. Emotional Intelligence: This allows a leader to manage his own emotions and the emotions of his team. They understand their own feelings and evaluate their own reactions, and recognize and interpret the emotions of others. This ability plays an important role in decision making and team relations.
14. Delegation Skills: Great leaders understand the importance of delegation. They recognize the skills and potential of their team members and assign them accordingly. Proper delegation paves the way for effective teamwork.
15. Humble: Humble leaders admit mistakes, seek feedback and share praise. Realizing that everyone has something to offer, they learn from all team members, regardless of rank.
16. Patience: Good leaders show patience by allowing mistakes and understanding that progress and development take time. Essentially, they provide a safe and supportive environment for their team to learn and grow.
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17. Active listening skills: Effective leaders listen more than they talk. They are open to new ideas and feedback, showing genuine interest in team members’ perspectives. It encourages open communication within the team.
18. Courage: Courage in leadership involves the willingness to take risks and make difficult decisions. Courageous leaders face uncertainty with confidence, thereby instilling the same in their teams.
19. Focus: Leaders have the ability to focus on ultimate goals and drive their team toward them. They keep the team focused on the main goal and minimize distractions.
20. Creativity. Leaders foster innovation and creativity. They foster a culture where team members are encouraged to think outside the box and come up with new ideas.
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21. Commitment: The best leaders demonstrate their commitment to their team’s goals and to the team members themselves. They embody dedication and hard work, which has a positive impact on their team.
22. Positive: Leaders maintain a positive attitude even in challenging situations. By showing confidence, they inspire their team to stay motivated and persevere through adversity.
23. Transparency: Effective leaders value honesty in communication. They are open about their opinions, welcome criticism and clearly set their expectations.
24. Availability. Managers need to be approachable to facilitate the communication process. Team members should feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, ideas and concerns.
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25. Ability to teach: good leaders are also good teachers. They use their skills and knowledge to educate and prepare their team members for success.
Your characteristics as a leader often depend on the type of leadership you use (Nanjundeswaraswamy & Swamy, 2014). Some people are more democratic (they distribute power widely), while others are more transformational (they bring new and inspiring insights to the role).
Charismatic leaders are followed and respected because of their personality. They use their charisma to inspire their followers (Tremaine, 2016).
Charismatic leaders have an excellent ability to champion a vision or idea. They convey this vision with passion and conviction, capturing the attention of their followers.
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These leaders are often passionate, dominant, confident and emotionally expressive. Their passion and certainty tend to ensure their followers’ trust and commitment to the cause (Conger, 2015).
In addition, their assertive communication style can significantly influence the mindset and behavior of their team. After all, charismatic leaders have the potential to drive innovation and push their followers toward superior performance.
Charismatic leaders rely primarily on their charm and personality to win over their followers. Their ability to inspire and motivate often stems from their assertiveness, confidence, and personal charm (Bass & Riggio, 2005).
Transformational leaders strive to bring profound change to their followers and the organization. These leaders emphasize intrinsic motivation and follower growth. Their focus is
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Democratic leaders, also known as participative leaders, prioritize the participation of all team members in the decision-making process.
They are characterized by a commitment to open and frequent co
mmunication, obtaining different perspectives and ideas before making final decisions (Foels et al., 2000).
Democratic leaders often excel in situations that require consensus building and cooperation. Importantly, such leaders balance their ultimate decision-making power with the active participation of team members, ensuring that everyone feels heard and involved.
Servant leaders embody a leadership approach that prioritizes the needs of the team above their own (Peterson et al., 2017).
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These leaders are primarily motivated by the desire to serve others and contribute to their well-being and development (Tremaine, 2016). Their focus is on empowering and uplifting those they lead, fostering a strong sense of community within their teams.
Servant leaders often listen carefully to the concerns of their team members and are empathetic and supportive in their responses.
They lead by example by demonstrating humility, authenticity and a strong moral compass. Ultimately, servant leadership tends to improve team collaboration, employee morale, and overall organizational performance.
Servant leader qualities: empathy, humility, selflessness, commitment to individual growth, focus on community building, listening skills, stewardship, authenticity.
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Their management approach focuses on identifying and nurturing the individual strengths of each team member, providing regular feedback and guidance to foster their professional growth (Amanchukwu, Stanley & Ololube, 2015).
Coaching leaders are adept at motivational and goal-setting techniques in an effort to help their teams learn new skills and competencies.
These leaders often serve as mentors, investing time and effort in building strong, trusting relationships with their team members. They see challenges as learning opportunities and encourage their teams to do the same. Ultimately, the goal of coaching leaders is to create a culture of learning and continuous improvement.
The qualities you will develop as a leader will take time. Maintain a growth mindset, view failure as a learning opportunity, and continue to learn about leadership concepts. You can’t be a great leader unless you experience failure, bad bosses, good bosses, and reflect on your strengths and weaknesses to emerge with leadership traits that will best serve you, your team, and your organization.
Qualities Of A Servant Leader {infographic}
Amanchukwu, R.N., Stanley, G.J. and Ololube, N.P. (2015). An overview of leadership theories, principles and styles and their relationship to educational leadership.
Foel, R., Driskell, J.E., Mullen, B., & Salas, E. (2000). The effect of democratic leadership on group member satisfaction: An integration.
Judge, T. A., Piccolo, R. F., & Kosalka, T. (2009). The bright and dark sides of leadership traits: A review and theoretical extension of the leadership traits paradigm.
Peterson, S.J., Benjamin M. Galvin, B.M., & Lange, D. (2012). CEO servant leadership: Exploring executive characteristics and firm performance.
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Dr. Chris Drew is
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