Top 3 Qualities of a Leader
I recently found myself in a predicament where I had to assess a situation by using my own sound judgment. It’s not always easy to interpret right from wrong when you are faced to do the right thing.
Leadership is defined as someone who takes action when it is time to act.
According to the business dictionary, it states,
Leadership involves:
establishing a clear vision, sharing that vision with others so that they will follow willingly.
providing the information, knowledge, and methods to realize that vision.
coordinating and balancing the conflicting interests of all members and stakeholders.
A leader steps up in times of crisis and is able to think and act creatively in difficult situations.
My favorite part of this definition is, "A leader steps up in times of crisis, and is able to think and act creatively in a difficult situation."
Whether you're an executive, developing her company's strategy to beat the competition or an explorer cutting a path through the jungle for the rest of the group to follow. The qualities I feel a leader should possess are the following:
Character
Yes, it takes character to have a level of determination, perseverance, distinctive moral characteristics and a unique set of multitasking skills to fill the shoes of a leader. Many don’t understand what type of person they are until there are put in a situation that pushes you to the limits. It is not only focusing on doing the right thing but the key is to live it. This way, you not only have authenticity but integrity to lead by example. In my opinion, it all stems down to a leader's ability to be able to maintain their own self-assessment.
2.) Inspiration / Passion
Setting direction is important, but when you have an inspiring vision and passion for what you do it goes a long way. It is also contagious and before you know it you are bringing out the best in others. Managers use these skills and positive tactics to guide their team to gain their objective the ‘win”. Especially in times where you need the gain. Creating a team that is dynamic full of excitement and inspired will go a long way.
3.) Awareness and Emotional Intelligence
Leaders are aware of the progression of retention over time and conduct themselves with proper image, actions, and communication. This is not always the easiest to foresee. To be aware you must be able to communicate effectively, this is crucial. Emotional intelligence is key to understanding psychology and a person's emotional response system. Mastering this is to understand how to relate to the behaviors and challenges of others when it comes to performance in the workplace. This can yield an incredible advantage in building an exceptional dynamic environment. Good leaders are all around great communicators both nonverbal and verbal.