“A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.” – Rosalynn Carter
A good leader is someone who does not only resort in giving commands, comments, and suggestion, but someone who gives guidance and leads his or her members towards great success. Just like what former First Lady of the United States, Rosalynn Carter, said, a good leader brings the best out of his or her leaders.
Being a leader, manager, supervisor, official, or executive for a company is not a walk in the park as it is always certain that you will face great adversities. Managing and leading a group of individuals with different personalities, culture, beliefs, ideas, and professional dogmas are no easy tasks. However, if you have the right set of traits and qualities, you can effectively manage your team, leading it towards achieving its goals and realizing its full potentials. At the end of the day, if you have exceptional leadership skills, your team will be able to produce the best results possible.
A good leader possesses a particular set of qualities, which can be developed and mastered. In fact, some companies provide leadership development training to their employees in top level positions to further hone their leadership skills and potential. According to an article by Forbes, a good leader is someone who is honest, has solid communication skills, has a sense of humor, and is confident, creative, and not afraid to commit.
1. Honesty is the best policy.
This may sound cliché but being honest is a requirement for company leaders. An honest leader is an ethical leader who has a solid moral foundation. Some may be quick to say that honest people find it difficult to find success in the business sector; however, in reality, honesty is a key component to success. Honest leaders tend to motivate employees more, inspiring them to avoid doing unethical and dishonest actions.
2. Good communication is the key.
In any company, communication is a critical facet that every leader should address. When communication is not done the right way, dozens of workplace issues can arise. Hence, a leader should be able to communicate well with his or her team and promote effective communication within it.
3. Have a good sense of humor.
A leader who knows how to get the attention of his or her coworkers through the use of wit and humor is easily loved and understood. A good sense of humor is needed in any workplace because it motivates employees to do better, and to realize their goals in much a more enjoyable manner. Humorless leaders tend to have a hard time getting their members involved, which can be problematic on the part of the team because it creates friction, compromising the team’s growth.
4. Creativity is important.
In order to effectively lead a group of professionals, one should have the creative bone. With creativity, problems can be solved using different and various perspectives. Team efforts and projects can be approached more effectively when a leader is creative and innovative.
5. Be committed.
The ability to commit despite the odds is a quality all leaders should have. One’s commitment and dedication to work drives results as it promotes company growth and development. When a leader is committed to getting things done, he or she is motivating others to do the same. Commitment draws well to best results because the best efforts are produced from the get-go.
Leadership development can be achieved by listening to the opinions, woes, comments, and suggestions of team members. Company leaders should be able to factor in all different sides of the issue in order to come up with solid plan.