Qualities of a Good Leader
A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. Great leaders adjust to their contiguous environments and empower the team to succeed together. The best leaders exhibit certain traits that make them enormously successful. Some common Qualities of a Good Leader are described below –
Honesty – is one of the main qualities of a leader. A leader leads by example. How can you expect your followers to be honest when you lack these qualities yourself? A dishonest person may attract people by way of manipulation; however, he will soon lose his trustworthiness. Leaders succeed when they bond to their values and core beliefs and without ethics, this will not be possible.
Communication – A good communicator can be a good leader. A leader does not think of himself as superior to you and thus does not believe in maintaining a distance. Words have the power to motivate people and make them do the unthinkable.
Self-Confidence – To be an effective leader, you should be confident enough to ensure that others follow your commands. The level of self-confidence leaders possess is impeccable. If you are unsure about your own decisions and qualities, then your subordinates will never follow you. They are sure about themselves and know exactly how to put their point across to inspire their audience.
Accountability – When it comes to accountability, you need to follow the approach highlighted by Arnold H Glasow when he said, “A good leader takes little more than his share of the blame and little less than his share of the credit.”
Transparency – One of the best ways to win the trust of your followers is by being transparent. Good leaders do not hide facts or plays games. Instead of hiding information, you should openly share it with them. This is one of their traits for which they are highly trusted and respected.
Inspire Others – Probably the hardest job for a leader is to influence others to follow. It can only be potential if you motivate your followers by setting a good example. When the going gets rough, they look up to you and see how you respond to the circumstances.
Patience – A person who is impatient loses temper frequently and can never qualify to be a good leader. Only if a person is a patient can he understand the mistakes of others and help them evolve.
Decision-Making Capabilities – Apart from having a futuristic vision, a leader should have the ability to take the right decision at the right time. Decisions taken by leaders have a profound impact on the masses.
Good communication skills and decision-making capabilities also play a vital role in the success and failure of a leader. A good leader has the ability to inspire others and instill leadership qualities in his subordinates to generate future leaders. Lastly, innovation and creative thinking, as well as the futuristic vision, are a couple of leadership qualities that make up good leaders.
