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Throughout history, many leadership qualities have been observed. Some were adopted by autocratic leaders, others were issued by great leaders. In both cases, the characteristics of those responsible are correlated with their ability to achieve desired outcomes and their superiors' perception of their success and effectiveness.What is Leadership?
Leadership is the act of guiding a group of people or an organization to a desired goal, outcome, or higher level. Great leaders remembered throughout history have inspired millions of people, and they continue to do so even after the end of their leadership.
One of these great leaders was Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi was born as an ordinary boy with passion and determination to excel. In 1947, after completing his law studies in London, he led a non-violent resistance movement towards a successful campaign to liberate India from British rule. As a lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethicist, Gandhi's leadership influenced civil rights movements around the world. His key leadership qualities included resilience, knowledge, and leading by example.
“The history of the world is full of men who rose to leadership, by sheer force of self-confidence, bravery, and tenacity.” - Mahatma Gandhi
Another leader with extraordinary leadership qualities is George Washington. Known as the founding father of the United States, leader of the American Revolution, and first president of the United States, George's vision has continued for over 200 years. He used foresight and strategic planning to lead his people and country to success.
“Remember that it is the actions, and not the commission, that make the officer, and that there is more expected from him, than the title.” – George Washington
What Makes a Great Leader Great?
Great leaders balance entrepreneurial vision, performance, and personality. It requires vision, courage, integrity, humility, focus, and the ability to strategically plan and foster collaboration within a team. Most leaders reflect on the leadership skills that are most effective and try to apply them on a daily basis. Also, while they are already great leaders, they keep questioning how they can improve, especially as times change, and they keep wondering what makes a great leader.
We also look at the characteristics of other great leaders in history to understand and apply their tactics. Great leaders understand that their only strength is the strength of their team. For this reason, many choose to lead by example. By doing so, they earn the respect of their team and followers, and they may even encourage others to join them on missions.
The ability to motivate others to participate in a mission is a positive leadership quality that distinguishes good leaders from others. Here are the top 10 best leadership skills you can put into practice right away to become a great leader. Use them as a tool to develop your leadership style.
1. Vision:
Good leaders have a vision, and they are able to strategically plan actions to achieve their goals. They have a clear vision of where they want to go, and they are able to motivate themselves and their team to get there. Practice idealization to visualize the long-term goals you want to achieve and use your vision and strategic planning to achieve them.
People with good leadership skills focus on the future while maintaining a positive attitude. They are more concerned with tomorrow's opportunities than the problems of the past. This mindset allows them to think long-term and ignore solutions that offer only immediate gratification.
People with effective leadership skills always start by looking at the big picture and understanding the “needs” of a situation. An effective leader can see from three to five years into the future and have a clear picture of where she wants to be and what it will be like when she gets there. Leaders have the ability to anticipate trends far ahead of their competitors. They keep asking, "Where is the market going based on what's happening today?" Where are you likely to be in 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years?"
They do this through thoughtful strategic planning. This leadership quality distinguishes them from managers. A clear vision makes an individual a special type of person. Think about your vision and its quality in order to transform from a “transaction manager” to a “transformation leader.” Remember that managers direct, leaders inspire and guide.
2. Courage:
one of the most important qualities and characteristics of leadership is courage. Being brave means being willing to take risks to achieve your goals. Many people can dream big, but only leaders and risk-takers understand that taking risks and failing is more productive than taking no risks at all.
“Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know you can lose.” – Tom Krause
Because of life's uncertainties, no risk can ever fully guarantee success, but every risk you take serves as a learning opportunity to get you closer to your goals. Even if you fall down, you stand up and try again. All great leaders fail more than they succeed. All great leaders can be defined by their courage and ability to take risks others were too afraid to take.
3. Integrity:
The first company value that all the leaders we met agreed upon was integrity. Everyone agrees on the importance of absolute honesty and transparency in everything we do, both internally and externally.
“We learned about honesty and integrity – that the truth matters… that you don’t take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules… and success doesn’t count unless you earn it fair and square.” – Michelle Obama
But to dig deeper and become a better leader, remember that the core of integrity is truthfulness. A reputation for honesty and integrity helps leaders earn the trust and respect of their peers and teams.
Leadership decisions should be based on the improvement of the group, not on personal gain. People should be inspired by you and strive to follow in your footsteps. You should know that your moral compass is unshakable.
4. Humility:
Humility pays off. Larry Bossidy, former Honeywell CEO and author of the book (Execution), explains why leadership qualities like humility make you a more effective leader: “The more you can keep your ego in check, the more realistic you become about your problems. Learn to listen and admit that you don’t know all the answers, and you should demonstrate a willingness to learn, and pride does not stand in the way of gathering the information you need to get the best results. Nothing prevents you from sharing credits that need to be shared. Humility allows you to admit your mistakes.” – Larry Bossidy
Being a good leader means leading your team to success. This means acknowledging that someone knows more than you and giving them the opportunity to take the lead. It means being aware of your power but not letting it get the best of you.
Humility does not mean you are weak or insecure. It means having the self-confidence and self- awareness to see the value of others without feeling threatened.
This is one of the rare traits and attributes of a good leader because he needs to keep his ego contained.
It means being willing to admit that you might be wrong and recognizing that you don't have all the answers. And that means giving credit where credit is due — which many find difficult. If your goal is to be a good or a great leader, learn to embrace humility.
5. Focus:
“Successful people maintain a positive focus on life no matter what is going on around them. They focus more on their past successes than their past failures, and ignore all other distractions life throws at them. Rather, it focuses on the next set of actions you need to take to get closer to achieving your goals. – Jack Canfield
To be a good leader, he has to be really focused. Focus on his goals, focus on his team's needs. This will allow him to strategize and plan for success. Without focus, your efforts go in the wrong direction. It can lead you in many different directions and never reach the goals you set out to achieve. By staying focused on the mission at hand, you can continue your journey without giving up on the road. Similarly, when we focus on our strengths and those of those around us, we can use our collective strength to achieve and thrive as a team.
Great leaders are action-oriented and create strategic plans focused on the strengths of the organization, allowing for efficient and effective movements. Your job as a leader is to keep you and everyone around you focused on your goals. This means enabling everyone to use their strengths and their time in the most valuable ways possible. This is important for team performance.
6. Cooperation:
“If your imagination leads you to understand how quickly people grant your requests when those requests appeal to their self-interest, you can have practically anything you go after.” – Napoleon Hill
One of the most important leadership qualities is cooperation. Cooperation is the process of working together to achieve the same goal. Great leaders have the ability to get everyone on the same page and get things done. This skill is essential to your success as a leader as it creates a supportive and collaborative environment within your team and promotes the best work. The ability to keep yourself and your team aligned is essential for the smooth functioning of your organization.
Gain the cooperation of others by committing to getting to know your team and understanding each individual's strengths. The more you try to understand the other person, the more likely they will be heard and acknowledged. And those who feel understood are more likely to cooperate. Everyone wants to feel that their thoughts and ideas are being heard.
7. Clear Communication:
Another characteristic of a great leader is being able to have clear communication with others, which begins with the ability to listen, think and go slowly. Being able to communicate clearly with your team creates an open dialogue where they can ask questions, raise concerns, and resolve issues. Overall, fewer errors and problems occur when employees clearly understand their tasks and communicate openly about them.
Many great leaders are also great public speakers. Public speaking practice is a great way to learn how to communicate clearly and effectively. You will not only improve your vocabulary, but you will also gain confidence. Practicing public speaking can also be a way to create effective dialogue to use with your team and organization.
8. Honesty:
When you ask yourself how to be a better leader, never forget honesty. It allows you to gain trust with your team and keep the focus on the vision. If the leader is dishonest, it will be difficult to get everyone moving in the same direction.
Not only will your team lose their trust in you, and your efforts as well. This creates a chaotic environment full of gossip and drama.
"Confidence thrives on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection, and on unselfish performance. Without them it cannot live.“ – Franklin D. Roosevelt, former president of the United States
Honesty is important in both positive and negative situations. Don't be afraid to compliment someone when they do a great job. It's also important to give honest and kind feedback when someone makes a mistake. Communication and humility go hand in hand with honesty and transparency. Being self-aware allows you to be honest with yourself and your team.
This also applies to you personally. It's hard to admit when you're wrong or don't have the answer to something. But if you are honest about your abilities and shortcomings, keep your feet on the ground. The first step in making a change is to be honest about your mistakes and turn them into learning opportunities for future success.
9. Empathy:
Another great quality we see in great leaders is empathy and kindness. As leaders, we may be very focused on our own goals and what is at stake. However, if we are looking for how to be a better leader, we must also understand that without our team, goals cannot be reached. Knowing this, it's important to check on your team and make sure they feel understood. Teams that feel heard are far more willing to collaborate and contribute.
“Leadership is about empathy. It is about having the ability to relate to and connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives.” – Oprah Winfrey
Being truly empathetic means being able to put yourself in someone else's shoes, having the ability to recognize when they're burned out, and find ways to support them. Without empathy, you push people to success without giving them the tools to succeed. Great leaders understand and empathize with their teams so they can achieve their goals together.
10. Ability to delegate:
The ability to delegate is also a powerful trait for being a great leader.
“If you want to do a few small things right, do them yourself. If you want to do great things and make a big impact, learn to delegate.” – John C. Maxwell
In order for leaders to focus on their vision, they must be able to delegate tasks. Not only does delegation free up space to focus on the big picture, but it also allows employees to take on greater responsibility. Delegating tasks shows that you trust your employees and their work. This encourages them to do quality work to maintain your trust and respect.
Good leaders are good at delegating tasks and goals to other team members based on their strengths. That's why it's so important to know your team well. Strategic delegation ensures you get the right work in front of the right people.
This is reflected in the 80/20 rule. 20% of people do 80% of their work. Recognize the hard-working people in your team and use them in the best and most efficient way to achieve common goals.
Conclusion:
Use this list of my best leadership qualities as a guide to becoming a better leader. Consider writing them down and listing specific ways you can use these attributes in your own life or with your team. You can also allow this as a reference tool for decision making.
