Being a leader is a quality that everyone can appreciate. We all recognize a good leader when we see one - and we admire them.
A leader in business is someone who can stay focused, motivate others, and handle conflicts effectively. Succinctly, as The Catholic Gentleman puts it: “A business leader might sometimes forget that he is a leader of men, not of an amorphic business. His choices must always aim for the common good of his employees, not the business.”
What are some defining characteristics of the leader? While there are many, let’s break down a few of the most important ones and see how we can apply them to our daily lives.
Give Credit Where Credit is Due
Recognizing others for their accomplishments is a core element of a true leader. Why? Because it shows your team that you value them, their work, and are humble enough to not try to steal their thunder.
A weak leader, someone who is just “in charge”, might typically feel chagrin at the success of another, or at least be indifferent. While there can be a healthy level of competitiveness amongst co-workers, being able to give a “shout-out” and openly acknowledge the accomplishments of your teammates demonstrates maturity as well as builds team morale. This might include giving recognition in your company’s group chat, or complimenting them for their work during your team’s morning stand-up.
Communicate Often and Clearly
The importance of communicating cannot be overstated. It is what makes day-to-day operations run smoothly. There are many strategies to being an effective communicator at work. Being an effective communicator shows that you are reliable, invested in your team and the success of your projects, and that you value your co-workers’ time and energy.
Communicating well means being considerate. That doesn’t mean refraining from a firmly written email or conversation if necessary, but it does mean that your communication style shouldn’t be commanding or harsh. A true leader knows when and how to use the proper tone and relying on demeaning or disparaging rhetoric only serves to fracture the team, not strengthen it.
Embrace Failure
We all fail. Great leaders fail. From Winston Churchill’s failure at Gallipoli to Edison’s repeated failures before inventing the lightbulb, failure is often the impetus for success – if you let it be. An effective leader takes loss and failure, learns from it, and uses it as a teaching moment for himself and his colleagues.
While projects in the workplace are typically less dramatic than a war campaign and less revolutionary than the lightbulb, there is a universal truth in failure that can be applied to every aspect of a leadership role. The truth is, in two words: keep trying.
While so much more could be said about leadership, and there are more qualities one should assimilate, these are what we might call the “cornerstone” qualities of any good leader. If you apply these to your personal and professional life, you will soon standout as the sort of person who people can trust and follow.
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