10 Leadership Skills That Will Make You A Great Leader

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Whether running a business, starting a family, overseeing a church Whatsapp group, or leading a team in an office setup, the best leaders need a solid set of leadership skills to influence their staff members, team members, clients, and followers.

He who wants to lead must be willing to command.

Behavioral concepts suggest that leadership abilities aren’t instilled and can be taught – individuals can learn leadership qualities through training and nurture these skills over time.

The best qualities of a good leader are effective communication, integrity, accountability, compassion, humility, persistence, confidence, vision, and a positive mindset.

Let’s get started.

What Leadership Qualities Make A Great Leader?

We encounter leaders in every aspect of our lives – religion, political, family. These people have a tremendous influence on how we go about our daily lives. These leaders are vital to our existence because their decisions can have positive or negative impacts on us.

While we’re all living various timelines on the journey of life, we look up to these leaders for guidance and solutions.

Some leaders may seem to appear like their leadership skill is a God-given talent. However, leadership skills can be learned. If you haven’t been in a position to lead, it doesn’t matter. There are specific skills that ultimately make up the most efficient leaders.

In this article, you will discover and master these attributes, so you can possibly influence the lives of others.

Here are the most important leadership qualities  to look for in a great leader.

  1. Effective Communication
  2. Integrity
  3. Accountability
  4. Compassion
  5. Humility
  6. Persistence
  7. Vision
  8. Positivity
  9. Delegation
  10. Self-Confidence

1. Effective communication

Communication is the # 1 most important top quality of being a great leader.

The ability to communicate effectively is definitely essential if you’re a leader. According to history, popular leaders (either good or bad) are known to be very good orators. But remember, listening is an essential part of one-on-one communication.

5 tips for effective communication:
  • Communicate relentlessly
  • Simplify and be direct
  • Listen and encourage input
  • Illustrate through stories
  • Affirm with actions

2. Integrity

“The Devil you know is better than the angel you don’t know”.

Many leaders are revered for their reputation alone – even without uttering a word.

It’s difficult to be a great leader if you cannot keep your word. Respect is reciprocal. You can not expect your group members to be sincere when you do not keep your word or promise. An honest leader is successful when they stand by their word, live by their core values, lead by example, and follow-through.

Honesty is the foundation of all other great leadership qualities. We are more comfortable with someone who’s brutally honest than a quiet person with a poker face.

Here are few character traits to look for in a good leader, consisting of:

  • Apologizing for mistakes
  • Highlighting the job of their workers and also minimizing their very own input
  • Disclose uncertainty when circumstances are uncertain but remain positive
  • Appreciation of people’s time and effort

3. Accountability

“If we lose, I will take the loss. If we profit, we will share the profit.”

An effective leader is liable for the team’s outcomes, great or poor. They hold themselves as well as their workers accountable for their actions, which develops a sense of responsibility among the group.

They give credit where credit is due, and take responsibility for blame when required. Assuming responsibility for a team effort is among the quickest methods a leader can build trust with their group.

4. Compassion

“Be emotionally intelligent.”

A true leader has sufficient objectivity to recognize their followers’ inspirations, hopes, dreams, and problems to ensure that they can build a deep personal connection with them. Compassion is comprehending, it isn’t just being a gentle person. Contrary to popular myths, the ability to empathize is not a sign of weakness but of strength. 

With compassion, it’s much easier to collaborate, negotiate, identify needs, make people feel safe, connect emotionally and encourage creativity.

5. Humility

“Empty barrels make the loudest noise”. 

We never know people’s true capabilities until they become more powerful or wealthy in the society or group. It’s no surprise many rebellious leaders end up being more notorious than their predecessors. They often get intoxicated once they get a taste of power.

When it comes to leadership, humility is a slippery slope. A typical leader is inherently narcissistic. If a leader is not careful, he would be perceived as weak.

Young leaders often ask if it is better to be loved than to be feared. In my opinion, both are effective. Using fear to lead people appears to be easier. However, if you lead with fear, prepare yourself when the table turns. Do you ever wonder why autocratic leaders never want to abdicate their power? Exactly.

An effective leader should focus on solving problems rather than their ego. Being vulnerable and simple with their group will certainly make them a lot more approachable, relatable and reliable.

6. Persistence

“Tough times don’t last tough people do.”

The strength of character of a leader is not just how they do during good times, but how they perform in challenging times.

Optimistic leaders lead by example. They are always there for their group and rally their group no matter the circumstances. It’s this fundamental positivism that helps leaders react to scenarios in a calm manner and concentrate on solutions rather than on issues.

Many innovative leaders are well-known for this leadership trait – Thomas Edison, Steve Jobs, and Elon Musk are great examples. They don’t give up. They are willing to that extra mile to turn their dreams into reality.

7. Vision

Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.

An excellent leader develops a vision, articulates the vision, passionately own the vision, and persistently drive it into reality. It’s often said that people buy into the leader before they buy into the vision.

An organization’s vision will only go as far as a leader’s magnitude of influence. Notable leaders are great salesmen of dreams and aspirations. Famous historical figures are still famous today because they achieved success putting their lifework into their dream.

True leaders motivate loyalty, dedication, and enthusiasm. They keep everyone aware of the goal as well as challenge people to outdo themselves.

Sharing this vision as well as compelling others to act is a great quality of successful leaders.

8. Positivity

“Positive vibe only”

A good leader must have contagious enthusiasm. Leaders can only motivate their group based on their own attitude, outlook, and perspective towards life happenings.

Popular and charismatic leaders are known to lift people’s spirits with the promise of a better future. Notable political leaders became exemplary leaders because they could inspire people in times of despair. 

9. Delegation

A challenging shift for numerous leaders is moving from doing to leading.

Rising leaders are accustomed to doing all the jobs themselves and struggle to allow others to deal with duties on their own. Great leaders must learn the strengths and weaknesses of members of the group. And use this knowledge to share tasks among the group members. 

The ability to delegate tasks creates room to be a more efficient leader. Leaders must shape their followers’ thoughts and direct them towards a common goal. They provide their group whatever they require to be successful and finish without feeling threatened by their success. 

Among one of the most vital leadership qualities is passing on tasks while also elevating the team. This provides the opportunity for the entire team to contribute in the most significant way.

10. Self-confidence

Life favors the bold.

To be an efficient leader, you must be ready to take charge – verbally and non-verbally. This is a critical skill in times of challenges. Be confident with your actions and let your group know your strategies and vision are not just sensible but the outright finest decision feasible.

People will quickly detect if you lack self-confidence in a leadership role. You can’t hide your confidence. The more you believe in yourself, the bigger the challenge you’d be able to handle. A good way to improve confidence is to increase your competence in whatever you do. Competence comes from constant practice.

True leaders are the ones that don’t simply discuss issues but think of their own solutions courageously.

Leadership Frequently Asked Questions

What is leadership

Leadership is the act of influencing other individuals towards a common objective. Individuals that have leadership skills showcase a strong personality, strength of character, and social skills to lead others in their direction.

Why is leadership important

Leaders influence others to follow their direction towards achieving a goal. Can you imagine the world without leaders or leadership roles? The disaster you say! Without leaders, it’s really difficult to handle a large group of people, complete established unified goals, and make progress.

What should a leader do

Great leaders help their group, make progress and act in the proper way. Good leaders should build a vision, established clear goals and direction, and also map a vibrant course forward for their group or team.

Signs of a good leader

While a leader is merely a token, a leader should display the appropriate leadership skills to inspire their team to work harder and also get jobs done satisfactorily. Great leaders need to be compassionate, show the character they want from their group, take responsibility for their actions, delegate properly, and also offer praise when needed.

The most essential quality is to really comprehend each group member on a personal note to ensure that they understand why the leader may challenge them to do better.

What should a leader not do

To whom much is given to, much is expected.

Leaders must not:

  • Fail to set clear objectives for their groups.
  • Disrespect or break down people.
  • Lavish appreciation or critic too easily.
  • Act wrongly or exhibit behavior that you wouldn’t expect from a staff member.
  • Not hold routine meetings with their group.
  • Fail to take decisive actions.
  • Lack empathy.

Conclusion

While motivation and inspiration can make leaders strong people managers, it’s the actions that ultimately drives respect and trust. I wish you enjoyed this article about leadership skills that make great leaders.

It may seem like some leaders were normally born that way, but leadership skills can be learned. There are certain characters, traits, and skills that eventually build the most effective leaders.

Terrific leaders will never be reliable if they’re more concerned with themselves than with the well-being of their group. A leader’s vision just goes as much as their impact on their group. Without leaders, it’s really challenging to take care of large groups of individuals, established linked objectives, and also make progress.

If you like this article, I would recommend you read about self motivation.