For many employees, being promoted to a leadership role is the ultimate career goal. Discovering what makes a good leader and focusing on acquiring those skills can set you up for long-term career success.
Here is everything you should know about becoming a great leader
What are the key differences between a good leader and a great leader? All leaders are managers somehow, but not all managers have seen great leadership.
Remember that people can't always choose their manager, but they can choose who they want to follow and emulate. One of the keys to becoming a great leader is understanding that leadership is more than a job and that you must make a conscious decision to be someone who deserves to be followed.
Simon Sinek once said, "Leadership is not a rank or a position, it is a choice – a choice to look after the person to the left of us & the person to the right of us."
Qualities of a great leader:
Integrity
The importance of integrity should be obvious. While not necessarily a measure in employee evaluations, integrity is a critical leadership trait. People respect those you do the right thing even when no one is watching.
Ability to delegate
Delegation is one of the primary responsibilities of a leader, but it can be difficult to delegate effectively. The goal is not only to free yourself of responsibility but to facilitate teamwork and create better decision-making. Additionally, the best leaders build confidence in employees by delegating more effectively.
Communication
Effective leadership and effective communication are closely linked. The best leaders are skilled communicators who can communicate in various ways, from imparting information to inspiring others to mentor. You must be able to listen and communicate with people in different roles, geographies, social identities, and more. The quality and effectiveness of communication between your organisation's leaders also directly affects the success of your business strategy.
Self-awareness
Although this is inner-focused trait, self-awareness and humility are paramount for leadership. The better you understand yourself and recognise your strengths and weaknesses, the more effective you will be as a leader. For example, do you know how others see you or how you present yourself at work? Take the time to educate yourself on the aspects of self-awareness and how you can strengthen each element to develop the qualities of a great leader.
Recognition
Practicing gratitude can lead to better self-esteem, reduce depression and anxiety, and improve sleep. Gratitude can even make you a better leader. Yet few people consistently say "thank you" for working late, or recognise when others have gone above and beyond their job description. The irony is that most say they would be willing to work harder for a grateful boss. The best leaders know how to show sincere gratitude at work.
Empathy
Empathy is directly related to job performance and is a critical component of emotional intelligence and effective leadership. In addition, empathy and inclusion are imperative to improve the working conditions of those around you.
Respect
Treating people with respect daily is one of the most important things about a leader. This will ease tension and conflict, build trust, and improve efficiency.
We would like to know whether you think there are other vital characteristics in great leadership?