6 Qualities of a Great Leader

Being an effective leader is more than just showing your team who’s boss

Leaders in any industry continue to face new challenges with technological advancements and changes to the way businesses operate. Leadership roles have never been easy, but now they’re even more complicated with the wide range of business knowledge that these individuals must have.

But the qualities required of a leader are the same as they’ve always been. It takes more than just wisdom or wit; these roles, when successful, take courage and commitment, as well as the ability to take a step back and reevaluate.

There’s no one right answer to what makes a leader great, but these qualities will point any type of trailblazer in the right direction to guide others and create major change.

 1.  Flexibility

To be successful, leaders must always remain open and flexible. There will be a million different situations coming up every day to deal with, each new in their own way. This is why leaders have to wear many hats, whether putting out fires, responding to complaints, addressing poor work ethic, or giving presentations.

In essence, managers and executives need to be prepared to deal with anything. And the more they deal with a range of incidents, the better at juggling they’ll become.

2.  Decisiveness

It’s crucial for leaders to be able to make quick decisions. Hard situations will arise constantly, and sometimes a decision must be made in a pinch.

This skill requires both confidence and deep knowledge of business operations. In addition, industry knowledge will also help a manager become decisive.

Leaders must be willing to take risks to become more decisive and understand that too much time weighing options can be detrimental and a big waste of time. They don’t waver or second guess their choices all the time.

Leaders shouldn’t be afraid to make a firm decision and commit to it.

3.  Motivation

Charisma is an important part of leadership. Leaders need to be able to motivate teams to keep going through challenges and continue coming up with creative ideas. They need to encourage high expectations and rigorous goal setting, or else progress won’t be made as quickly.

Those in charge need to have the ability to inspire; to move people to take risks and generate real change and creativity.

4.  Communication

Good leaders foster communication and encourage openness. They understand that teams can’t function unless everyone is on the same page. They listen to employees and team members carefully so that everyone feels heard and appreciated.

But part of good communication from a leader also involves honesty. Sometimes hard truths will need to be faced by team members or customers, and managers can’t be afraid, to be honest.

5.  Involvement

Building communities is an important aspect of a business. Managers should fully engage with both teams of employees and potential client bases whenever possible.

Managers should attend industry events, professional development seminars, conferences, and other gatherings where interactions are likely. This also allows leaders to keep up with new trends while growing a solid network.

6.  Kindness and compassion

Lastly, a great leader needs to show kindness and compassion. Without worrying too much about being liked by everyone, a manager needs to show that they understand where people are coming from. They should not pass judgment if someone makes a mistake, while still ensuring that policies are being followed.

With customers, kindness goes a long way. Some people who are upset expect that anger to be reciprocated. But you don’t have to approach unhappy clients with your fist up. Instead, show them understanding. Listen to their concerns. And respond with compassion.

Of course, all leaders won’t magically start a management role with each of these qualities fully developed. Sometimes it can take many years of experience before everything is done the right way. No one is perfect, but practicing self-awareness and consideration of others are keys to becoming a more successful trailblazer.

Understanding what a manager should be striving toward is the first step to becoming a well-rounded leader.

Paper Napkin Wisdom has a podcast and blog to share more tips on how to have the most successful career possible. With tricks from successful CEOs across a wide range of industries, entrepreneurs can find motivation tactics and business strategy tips by visiting the Paper Napkin Wisdom website today.