Anyone who has ever held a job, went to school, played organized sports or basically existed in the world knows that there are some people who are just born leaders. On the other side of the coin, there are some people who shy away from the spotlight and take a more supportive role in certain areas of their lives. What, then, are those qualities that make a great leader and how important are they as we manage others at work and in life? While each leader offers their own unique approach to management, there are some universal traits that are necessary to leading the pack.
Patience
Humans are imperfect. They’re going to make mistakes, they’re going to struggle and they’re even going let us down from time to time. A good leader is able to chalk up these rare instances to exactly that and look beyond them to see the employee’s true value.
Clear Communication
If you’re giving instructions, it helps to make sure your employees understand them. Hours of time and productivity are lost in offices every day by going back and forth with leadership for clarification. Clear communication and expectations can put an end to this.
Confidence
If we don’t believe in ourselves, how are we supposed to ask others to do the same? Confidence helps us be decisive and direct in our jobs and lets our colleagues and subordinates know that we are in full control.
Supportiveness
When your employers know they have your support and confidence in their work, they will work harder and give you their support in return. A quality leader is able to stand behind their people and be there right alongside them during the tough times.
Professionalism
As much as we stand behind our employees, however, it’s important to keep in mind that we are their colleagues first and their friends second. If we’re unable to distinguish between professional and social relationships, the line gets blurred and expectations become less clear.
These are just a few of the qualities exhibited by an effective leader. Some of them are just common sense; but, as we’ve learned time and again, not all bosses have them.
