John C Maxwell defines a leader eloquently as the one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. A good leader has the vision to achieve results and knows how to turn ideas into success stories. Here, let us take an in-depth look at some vital leadership qualities that make a good leader.
- Inspire Others : As a leader, you have to persuade others to follow you. You can inspire your subordinates by setting a good example. While solving difficult tasks on any project, your followers will look up to you and do what you would have done. You have to lead by example.
- Commitment and Passion : Your team closely observes you, and for them to commit to work, first you have to be passionate about it. Your commitment will help you gain your team’s respect and it will infuse new energy into your team members, which is vital to perform better.
- Delegation and Empowerment : A leader cannot do everything. For a leader, it is essential to focus on important responsibilities and delegate the rest to others. Also, delegating is empowering your subordinates. You must not continuously micromanage them as it develops lack of trust and you miss out focussing on more important matters.
- Empathy : Leaders must develop empathy with their followers. Understanding their problems and feeling their pain is the primary step to becoming an effective leader. Again, after realising their problems, you must work hard and provide them with the suitable solution.
- Good Communicator : Until the vision and the strategy to achieve the goal is not communicated to your team, it will be difficult to get the results. If you are unable to deliver your message effectively to your group of people, you can not be a good leader.
- Decision-Making Capabilities : Decision making is one of the important leadership qualities. A leader should have the ability to make the right decision at the right time. You must think hard before making a decision, but you must stand by your decision, once it is made.
- Honesty and Integrity : Unquestionable integrity is by far the supremest leadership quality. Honesty and integrity are the two important qualities that go into making a good leader. You could not expect your team to be honest with you when you lack the defining quality. Leaders succeed when they work as per their values with integrity.
- Confidence : A leader has to be confident enough to ensure others follow his/her commands. If you are not sure about your decisions and qualities, then how can your team be? You have to be full with confidence, and show it to gain respect of your team.
- Creativity and Innovation : Steve Jobs once said, ‘Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower’ and he was not wrong. A leader must be creative and innovative in today’s ever-changing business landscape.
- Accountability : Accountability is one of the critical leadership qualities. Arnold H Glasow has put it nicely; he said, ‘A good leader takes little more than his share of blame and little less than his share of credit.’ Also, a leader must make it clear that each of his/her subordinates is accountable for what he/she is doing.