Top 6 Qualities of a Good Leader: Be One Excellent Example Now

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There is a numerous list of qualities of a good leader. Leadership is a vital skill sought after in a person, especially in an organization or a company. A good leader possesses certain characteristics that can take a group to great heights.

My articles on Outwit Trade and UpJourney have been helpful for career seekers and job interviews. This post covers what makes an effective leader.

Read on.

Contents

Are Leaders Born or Made?

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A good leader is both born and made. This topic is one of the many interesting things to talk about and what other people even argue about. Although you may be born with some natural great leadership qualities, your character is also shaped by many factors.

It includes your environment, the people around you, and even your community. And these characteristics that you develop are the same that can point you towards being a great leader. So if you believe that you were not born with effective leadership skills, fear not.

There are still ways to pick up new skills that make you one.

Qualities of a Good Leader - What Does It Take To Become One?

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Anyone can be a leader, but only a handful can be great. Skills needed for good leadership can start with some daily habits. Instilling discipline in your everyday life in acquiring these skill sets is one way to be a successful leader.

Certain traits of good and effective leaders set them apart from mediocre ones. So what does it mean to be a good leader?

Here's a list of the top six leadership skills.

Quality #1: Constant and Honest Communication

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Leadership constitutes taking managerial roles, such as task delegation and employee engagement. As a leader, having constant communication with your team is crucial. You'll need to be there, talking and listening, every step of the way until you reach your set goals. To master this, you need to have good communication skills.

Quality #2: A Heart for Service

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Another leadership quality that many often overlook lack is humility. As a leader, it's your job to encourage your team to do better. Yes, you might have gotten that role because of years of expertise and knowledge.

But, you have to understand that your position requires you to be someone your teammates, subordinates, or followers can rely on. That is why humble leaders create a harmonious relationship with their team.

Quality #3: Confidence in Yourself and Your Team

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Confidence is one of the essential qualities any leader should have. Whether at work or in your actual life, you should exert confidence in your choices and your team. Believing in their abilities to take on their tasks with their best efforts is the first step in developing this trait.

When your team recognizes this confidence you have within you, they become more trustful of you and your decisions.

Quality #4: Clarity and Vision

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Having clarity means you have a clear sight of your goals for the future of you and your group. A leader who has a clear vision of his goals for his company brings out the passion in his group or employees. A contagious passion makes your group work better, have a great relationship, and have smoother communication with one another.

You get to share a common goal which will drive the entire group to work on reaching it. It is one of the leadership traits that makes great leaders.

Quality #5: Has the Power to Persuade and Influence Others to Change

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An effective leader must know how to persuade and influence the rest of his team. It encourages connection between you and your employees. But it is more than pushing others into certain beliefs or actions. Through persuading and influencing others, you get them on board with your plans, ideas, and approaches to reaching long-term goals. You get them to work better and smarter and instill the same qualities that make a good leader.

Quality #6: Optimistic

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This leadership trait is vital for the problem-solving process. Thus, optimistic leaders are great at encouraging their teams to work on achieving their goals. But this doesn't mean that you should dismiss facts and look at the brighter side of life. Being an optimistic leader means innovating ways to handle obstacles and get through them.

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5 Things That A Good Leader Never Do

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Nobody wants a toxic boss manning their team. A bad leadership style gives you a negative reputation. It can also bring your whole group down with you.

Here's a list of toxic leadership traits you should avoid to make yourself a better leader.

#1: Ignorant of Team Member's Feelings

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Being sensitive to others' feelings is one of the signs you are intelligent. Ignoring how your group feels creates a negative atmosphere in the workplace, which is not helpful for productivity and performance. Lashing out and demeaning your team members, not acknowledging them, and being cruel to your employees are sure-fire ways to bring your team down.

#2: Blaming Others For Mistakes

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Bad leaders are known for blaming others. When you start doing this with your group or subordinates, you lose your accountability as a leader. Being called out for a mistake can be embarrassing or can often taint your reputation.

Avoid pointing fingers and start taking on responsibility for your group's actions. That's what good leaders do.

#3: Talk More, Listen Less

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Don't act as the most intelligent person in the room. A true leader knows when to speak and shut up. The more you listen to your employees' opinions, suggestions, and needs, the more valuable insights you gain.

Acknowledge their propositions more rather than just going your own way. Listening will get you to make sound and beneficial decisions for your team.

#4: Take Credit For Your Team's Success

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Although you are expected to be accountable for your team's mistakes, you should not hog all the credits for accomplishments. It is a leadership challenge many leaders often fail. Giving credit where credit is due is a positive value that makes others look good. It will also make you feel good about yourself.

#5: Don't Know How To Express Gratitude

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Another leadership trait often overlooked is being grateful. When you don't recognize and acknowledge your team's efforts and good performance and continue focusing on their mistakes, they will lose their confidence. And this will eventually reflect on the performance of your whole team. Strong leaders know how to show gratitude to their team and their work.

Frequently Asked Questions

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It's hard to take on a leadership role if you are unsure if your traits make you qualified. Some of the common questions leaders ask themselves are answered below. Let them guide you to decide.

How do I know what kind of leader am I?

Leaders are not all alike. There's a series of questions to ask yourself to know what type of leader you are. Some of these questions may have something to do with your personalities, traits, strengths, weaknesses, and abilities. By knowing yourself better, you can assess the type of leadership skills you have and understand what suits your team or does not.

Why are leadership qualities important?

Leadership qualities are important in the workplace to keep teammates motivated to work on your goals. These qualities fuel your passion for yourself and your team. They help you from the early stages of planning to decision-making to executing projects. That is why these qualities are important in hiring a leader.

What is the best type of leader?

There are several leadership styles, each one offering a different approach to dealing with the various aspects of the workplace. One type of leader stands out from the rest, the transformational leader. A transformational leader involves his organization in the process, from creating their visions to making the necessary steps to achieve them. By doing so, the employee's say on different matters is heard, and their well-being is considered.

How can I improve my leadership skills?

Leadership development doesn't happen overnight. Your leadership skills can be improved in many ways. This includes taking necessary classes or courses to help you develop in certain aspects you deem you are lacking.

You can also try taking on different projects to be able to work on other leadership qualities you want to gain. A mentor is also great to guide you in your journey.

More Helpful Articles for Adults

If you want to be the best version of yourself, we have plenty of articles to help you with that.

1. Anxious about your next interview? Read on some common interview questions for managers.
2. Want your job candidate to reveal their true self during the hiring process? Here are some weird interview questions for you to look into.
3. Crack up with these funny interview questions and create great conversation starters.

Conclusion

There are numerous qualities of a good leader listed in different leadership theories. When you take on a leadership position, you are qualified to do so, but that doesn't mean you have all the necessary skills. So if you think you are still lacking some, don't forget that there's still a chance to learn and develop them. This will get you and your team to work on long-term goals and perform your best to reach them.