What Are the Top Leadership Characteristics?
10 Traits That Make a Strong Leader
A strong leader is someone who is respected and trusted. They may be relied upon for constructive criticism, as ultimately a leader is someone who considers others鈥 true potential. Whether it鈥檚 a parent, teacher, coach, or manager, the quality that makes them special is their ability to lead鈥攂y example, through action, and with integrity.
As you advance in your career, you may find yourself striving to cultivate this quality in yourself. After all, being a good leader could help you advance in your field and take on management roles. If you want to be a successful leader and support your team like never before, this blog post can help.
To that end, here are ten strong leadership traits and how you can develop them as you grow as a leader.
What Do Good Leaders Have In Common?
There are countless leaders you can point to as examples of someone you鈥檇 like to emulate with your leadership style. If you look more closely, you鈥檒l notice that, despite their differences, these model leaders all likely possess similar leadership characteristics.1
#1 Integrity
The number one characteristic of a good leader is integrity. To put it bluntly, if people can鈥檛 trust you, you won鈥檛 be able to connect with them and lead them. As a true leader, you must demonstrate integrity through:
- Ethical behavior
- Honesty
- Responsibility
- Dependability
No matter what kind of job in organizational leadership you have, you must embody integrity. If you don鈥檛 show others that you have integrity, they鈥檒l quickly lose confidence in your organization and you as an effective leader.2
#2 Judiciousness
When you demonstrate integrity, you earn the respect of others. Treating those you work with in a judicious and fair manner goes a long way to building that respect. It鈥檚 also critical that people in positions of power are respectful of their employees鈥 time, energy, hard work, and emotional well-being.
#3 Empathy
To be judicious, you must also cultivate the empathetic skills to see situations and dilemmas from all points of view. Outstanding leaders aren鈥檛 those who are stoic and cold. Instead, those who can show others that they care and can relate to others鈥 struggles are the outstanding leaders who truly shine.
#4 Self-Awareness
An effective leader doesn鈥檛 have to be perfect. Instead, a willingness to admit weaknesses or faults shows that you鈥檙e human. This, in turn, develops self-awareness. Leaders are individuals who take account of strengths and shortfalls, acknowledging where they鈥檝e made mistakes and taking measures to correct them.
#5 Creativity
All professionals in leadership careers have to demonstrate creativity in their work. Leaders are open-minded, both in terms of their own ideas and listening to others. Thus, to develop your sense of creativity, you must:
- Think outside the box
- Use creative solutions to problems
- Bring fresh ideas and help to develop others鈥 ideas
- Stretch resources
Your ability to bring something unique to your position makes you a valuable leader.3
#6 Vision
A great leader also must be able to see the big picture and the steps it takes to accomplish their goals, while also remaining flexible and adaptable to changes. They understand that the roadmap is drawn in pencil, not ink.
#7 Dedication to Improvement
Allowing for adaptation is a part of continuous improvement. Strong leaders know that methods can adapt to changing customer, company, and employee needs. Furthermore, they鈥檙e always interested in learning about how to make things better. The term lifelong learner typically describes those who thrive in leading roles.
#8 Ability to Delegate
Often, the ability to delegate is one of the most difficult tasks for people to master. Those who become leaders do so by working hard and possessing a 鈥済et the work done鈥 attitude. However, sharing responsibilities shows that you trust others to do what鈥檚 needed and that you respect their hard work.
#9 Communication Skills
Many leadership qualities will be lost on others if you can鈥檛 communicate effectively. Leaders need well-rounded communication skills that include:
- Oral
- Written
- Interpersonal
- Multicultural
- Business
Think about the many ways you interact with coworkers and clients every day. If your communication skills are poor, your coworkers won鈥檛 understand your expectations and your customers may feel as though their concerns or needs aren鈥檛 being addressed.4
#10 Decisiveness
The ability to make decisions is a must for any leader. This is especially true in management roles where you often have to make difficult choices that impact many people and even the entire company. Coursework in management can help if you struggle in this area. You鈥檒l be able to practice making tough decisions in a controlled environment so that you鈥檙e ready for the real thing.
Become a Better Leader with 樱花视频
These ten characteristics work together to produce leaders that people respect, listen to, and trust. Now, it鈥檚 time to perform a self-assessment and practice number four: Self-Awareness. Where do you need to improve? Are your communication skills in need of a makeover? Do you struggle to make decisions under pressure?
At 樱花视频, we can help you strengthen your leadership skills.
樱花视频 offers several management and leadership degrees and programs with online and in-person classes to fit your busy schedule.
Find your path. Pursue it confidently. Get started today.
Sources:
- 鈥淲hat Are the Characteristics of a Good Leader?鈥 CCL, January 7, 2022. . Accessed January 7, 2022.
- 鈥淕reat Leaders Have Integrity.鈥 SIGMA Assessment Systems, December 31, 2021. . Accessed January 7, 2022.
- 鈥淭hink Outside the Box - A Guide to Creative Thinking.鈥 Custom Boxes Now, December 2, 2021. . Accessed January 7, 2022.
- Inc, Corporate Class. 鈥淭op 4 Interpersonal Communication Skills to Advance Your Career in 2021.鈥 Corporate Class Inc., November 8, 2021. . Accessed January 7, 2022.
