It’s not easy to be a great leader. Leadership requires a unique set of skills and personality traits. Few people are born great leaders, but everyone can maximize their leadership skills and qualities.
Many of us want to be better leaders, but don’t know where to start. There are many excellent books on leadership skills, yet the effectiveness of skills is limited without the proper mindset or support to execute those skills.
Begin leveling up your skills by integrating these traits into your leadership style. Practice makes perfect!
Communication. The art of communication is imperative in any form of leadership. When you are good at listening and conveying your thoughts and expectations, you are setting an unbreakable foundation to help yourself and others succeed.
Curiosity. We cannot grow or develop ourselves or our teams if we do not stay curious about why and how we are doing or thinking about things. Understanding yourself and team and what motivates you and them is a crucial factor in making sound decisions and goals. Get comfortable as a leader that you don’t know everything. We all know what assumptions make out of us!
Integrity. The fastest way to lose trust is to be dishonest, yet our inherent nature of self-protection can make us do just that. As leaders, we feel we can never show weakness. Yet employees won’t fully support a leader if they don’t own up to their shortcomings. It’s okay to show a hole in your armor and admit when you were wrong.
Emotional Awareness. When you lead others, there are many ups and downs. You don’t have to be a robot with no emotions, yet you do have to be the emotional stability for the team. It’s your responsibility to keep your emotions under control and lead the way.
Confidence. Confidence is intoxicating. People are willing to follow you if you’re confident in yourself and your team. Being confident fosters confidence in others. It also helps you make those hard decisions and know that you are making the right one.
Inspirational. Leaders lead. Inspiring others to follow you isn’t cultivated by intimidation. Learn what inspires each person on your team to do their best, and they will feel heard and supported by you. People will follow this type of leader to the ends of the Earth!
Humility. It can be challenging to be a confident leader and be humble at the same time. While arrogant people often rise to leadership positions, few of them thrive in those roles. Arrogance leads to poor decisions and causes your followers to both distrust and dislike you.
Empathy. Everyone wants to be understood, and people can tell when they are not. Empathy allows you to see things from other’s perceptions and makes it easier for you to know how to lead them. It also builds a bond of respect between you and your team because they know that you heard them out even when you make a decision that they disagree with.
Ability to deal with complexity. When you’re leading a large group of people, things are complicated. Every decision seems to affect everything else. Circumstances are constantly changing, and it’s challenging to deal with the complexity that arises. Remember, you don’t have to do it all yourself.
Assertiveness. You can’t be timid and be a great leader. You have to share your ideas and opinions assertively. It is also fundamental in helping you hold your team accountable. You have to be able to tell people “no” and to give constructive feedback or bad news. If you tend to be passive, your ability to lead is compromised because your team won’t trust you to make the hard decisions.
How do your own personality traits stack up? What can you improve to become a more effective leader? Not everyone is born with natural leadership skills and attributes, but everyone can become a good leader with development.
If you want help in becoming the great leader you were meant to be, reach out today to start training to improve your skills.
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