What makes a great leader

Top 25 Qualities that Make a Great Leader

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Good leaders are, quite simply, good for business. Indeed, they’re the key to a positive working environment, a productive team and, as such, a profitable company.

While some are born leaders, others are made. Whatever the case (whether you’ve been appointed as your team’s leader or you want to prove your worth to your company for an upcoming promotion), there are some essential characteristics that you need to possess in order to succeed.

So, what are they?

Keep reading for a list of the top qualities that every great leader should have.

1. Confident

Without confidence in your abilities as a leader, you may find yourself lacking followers – which is kind of an essential component of leadership. After all, it’s easier to trust someone who exhibits confidence (not to be confused with arrogance) than someone who has a history of panicking and giving up at the first sign of struggle.

2. Decisive

No one in their right mind would follow someone who is unable to make decisions and who hesitates to act in tough situations. They follow those who commit and who are unafraid of making difficult decisions.

3. Courageous

A courageous leader is one who is prepared to take risks, share unpopular opinions, give difficult feedback and raise hard issues. Often, they are also someone who is able to admit to their own mistakes. And although fearlessness is a rare trait, it’s not impossible to develop a habit of showing enormous courage at crucial moments.

4. Innovative

Great leaders think outside the box. They challenge the status quo, and they come up with unconventional ideas and concepts that others consider too risky or absurd. They’re imaginative, and they’re able to quickly and efficiently analyse problems and offer solutions.

5. Positive

Where others might think a project or task is too difficult or impossible, a good leader faces those challenges with enthusiasm and positive energy. By being a source of positivity and creating a culture of optimism in the workplace, you effectively help your team adopt a similar approach to their work. Even in difficult situations, a great leader figures out ways to solve problems and keep the team motivated.

6. Visionary

What do Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Hillary Clinton and Richard Branson all have in common? They have a clear idea of where they’re going and what they’re trying to accomplish. And that’s exactly what makes a great business leader: they have a vivid picture of where their company is headed, they articulate those goals to others (this is kind of essential if you want the entire to work towards a common goal) and they commit to achieving them.

7. Communicative

Effective communication in the workplace is what, really, makes team members feel appreciated – and a good manager knows (and practises) this. They encourage communication between team members (both in person and virtually), they listen to them and their ideas, and they clearly and succinctly present expectations, explain circumstances and justify decisions taken.

8. Focused

To be successful in your endeavours, as any CEO will tell you, is to remain focused on the goals of your team and organisation. Life is full of distractions, so it’s essential that you always remain on track. You can achieve this by planning ahead, staying organised and establishing processes and routines to maintain high performance and meet your goals.

9. Passionate

Passion and enthusiasm are contagious in the workplace. In other words, when a leader is passionate about a project or task, so too will be the team they lead. Whatever it is that you care about, whether it’s writing or conducting scientific experiments, make sure that your team knows about it. Inspire your people and empower them.

10. Calm

If you’ve ever worked under a manager who was nervous, frantic or angry, the last thing you’d probably describe them as is ‘a good leader’. In real terms, a good leader is someone who remains calm, composed and steadfast in even the most stressful situations, and it is this that commands respect and admiration from others.

11. Humble

A humble leader can recognise the value of others. They can put their ego aside and accept criticism as an opportunity for personal and professional growth. A leader who encourages a flat hierarchy and open dialogue, and who can shift attention away from themselves, can create a truly collaborative environment within their company. In other words, their position doesn’t affect their judgement, and they’re well aware of their own limits and mistakes.

12. Honest

People respect those who are honest and have integrity. A good leader fits the bill perfectly here: they are ethical and believe that honesty, effort, transparency and reliability are what makes a team, department or, especially, a whole company successful. In other words, treat people the way you want to be treated.

13. Empathetic

One of the most valuable traits a leader can have is the ability to understand people and empathise with them. Being compassionate, and understanding how your actions and decisions affect people will, in turn, generate a huge amount of loyalty, as well as productivity and engagement from your team.

14. Authentic

Although imitation is said to be the greatest form of flattery, there’s no room for it in leadership. While you should strive to learn from others and be inspired by them, it’s equally important that your ideas are authentic. Leaders need to set their own trends and remain true to themselves, their beliefs and their values, as well as those of the organisation.

15. Accountable

Holding yourself accountable for your decisions and mistakes helps others do the same. This, in effect, helps create an efficient and productive team. Essentially, a leader needs to be able to own up to their mistakes and take responsibility for them without blaming others or circumstances that were out of their control.

16. Intuitive

Intuition is a great source of knowledge that can inform your business decisions. A skilled leader can make quick decisions by using their learned experience to assess a situation and the risks involved before making any final decisions.

17. Dedicated

In order to climb to the top of the career ladder, you need to be dedicated to the cause. This allows you to overcome obstacles and stay on course, regardless of the difficulties you may face. Your dedication is also likely to inspire the same commitment from others.

18. Inspiring

Leaders set good examples for their teams through their actions, ideas and abilities. For others to follow your lead, you need to be able to inspire them with your ideas and commitment to the company.

19. Delegative

While it’s important that you oversee and guide your team, you must also be able to delegate tasks to them and trust that they will carry them out efficiently. In other words, you need to be able to give up control and share responsibilities with others.

20. Patient

Patience is an important quality for great leaders. They need to be able to deal with daily frustrations calmly, persist at the sight of obstacles and wait for the right opportunities to come by.

21. Emotionally Intelligent

Human interaction is a crucial aspect of leadership. Being able to understand the actions and behaviours of others, and having a high degree of emotional intelligence allows leaders to manage their team effectively and create trusting relationships with them.

22. Transparent

Transparency is essential for the success of any organisation. A leader that involves their team in the process and who is upfront about important matters is one that employees can respect and trust. By giving them ownership over their work and involving them in important decisions, this allows leaders to build a concrete relationship with their team.

23. Humorous

Having a sense of humour is a winning quality for any leader. In fact, according to research conducted by Harvard Business School, humour, when used appropriately, can mediate ‘perceptions of confidence and competence’. Plus, some light-hearted humour can create a more uplifting and less stressful work environment.

24. Impartial

To be impartial, you need to be able to recognise your own prejudices and biases as well as those of others. A true leader has an ethical character and can judge equitably, remain objective and stay unaffected by favouritisms or their ego.

25. Flexible

Flexibility and adaptability are crucial when you’re leading a team. When things don’t go as planned, leaders must be able to adapt to the circumstances and come up with a new course of actions.

Great leaders have no trouble standing out from the crowd. Their drive and dedication to their teams and organisations is often the reason behind their success. In order to attain the same status, you need to be steadfast, focused and committed to your goals and your team.

What do you think makes a great leader? Can you think of any other essential qualities and traits? Join the conversation down below and let us know!

This article is an updated version of an earlier article that was originally published on 11 December 2017.

What Makes a Good Leader: 15 Critical Leadership Qualities

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The word “leader” makes you think of people in charge or high-ranking people: your boss, politicians, presidents, CEOs…but what makes a good leader?

Leadership isn’t about a particular position or a person’s seniority. Just because someone has worked for many years doesn’t mean they have gained the qualities and skills to lead a team.

Getting promoted to a managerial position doesn’t automatically turn you into a leader, either. In fact, leadership skills are something that anyone—regardless of position or seniority—can learn.

So what makes a good leader and what are the characteristics of a leader?

Good leadership is about acquiring and honing specific skills. Leadership skills enable you to be a role model for a team in any environment. With great leadership qualities, successful leaders come in all shapes and sizes: in the home, at school, or in the workplace.

The following are some of the many characteristics great leaders exhibit.

What Makes a Good Leader?

Here’re 15 qualities you should master:

1. A Positive Attitude

Great leaders know that they won’t have a happy and motivated team unless they themselves exhibit a positive attitude. This can be done by remaining positive when things go wrong and by creating a relaxed and happy atmosphere in the workplace.

Even some simple things like providing snacks or organizing a team happy hour can make a world of difference. An added perk is that team members are likely to work harder and do overtime when needed if they’re happy and appreciated.

Even in the worst situations, such as experiencing low team morale or team members having made a big mistake at work, a great leader stays positive and figures out ways to keep the team motivated to solve the problems.

The key is to break down huge challenges into smaller ones and find ways to tackle them one by one.

Think about the lessons you can learn from your mistake and jot them down because sometimes you win, and sometimes you learn.

2. Confidence

All great leaders have to exhibit an air of confidence if they’re going to succeed. Please don’t confuse this with self-satisfaction and arrogance. You want people to look up to you for inspiration, not so they can punch you in the face.

Confidence is one of the most important leadership qualities you must have because people will be looking to you on how to behave, particularly if things aren’t going 100% right. If you remain calm and poised, team members are far more likely to as well. As a result, morale and productivity will remain high, and the problem will be solved more quickly.

If you panic and give up, they will know immediately and things will simply go downhill from there. You can’t instantly become a very confident person, but all the small things you do every day will gradually make you more confident:

3. A Sense of Humor

When asking what qualities of a good leader are most appreciated by people, this is a popular answer. It is imperative for any kind of leader to have a sense of humor, particularly when things go wrong. And they will.

Your team members are going to be looking to you for how to react in a seemingly dire situation. You need to be able to laugh things off because if staff morale goes down, so will productivity.

Establish this environment prior to any kind of meltdown by encouraging humor and personal discussions in the workplace.

As a president, Barack Obama exuded confidence and calm during stressful situations. But he was also known for his “dad jokes,” [2] his genuinely funny speeches at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, and appearing on Zack Galifianakis’s Between Two Ferns. [3] Obama’s sense of humor made him grounded, realistic, and honest, which no doubt helped during some tense moments in the White House.

Learn to laugh at yourself. Confident people laugh about their own silly mistakes, and when you do this, others will also trust you more because you’re willing to share your experiences.

Be observant and learn from the jokes others make. You can also get a lot of inspiration from the internet.

4. Ability to Embrace Failure

No matter how hard you try to avoid it, failures will happen and that’s okay. You just need to know how to deal with them.

Great leaders take them in strides. They remain calm and logically think through the situation and utilize their resources. What they don’t do is fall apart and reveal to their team how worried they are, which leads to negative morale, fear, and binge drinking under desks.

Great leaders do, in fact, lead, even when they’re faced with setbacks. Get to the root cause of any problem so you can prevent it from happening again and learn from the mistake. By asking “why” 5 times (or more) on why something happened, you can find out the key factor that caused the problem and can find the best solution to tackle the problem.

You’ll also learn how to prevent this from happening again in the future after finding out a problem’s root cause.

5. Careful Listening and Feedback

This is far more complex than it actually sounds. Good communication skills are essential for a great leader. You may very well understand the cave of crazy that is your brain, but that doesn’t mean that you can adequately take the ideas out of it and explain them to someone else.

The best leaders need to be able to communicate clearly with the people around them. They also need to be able to interpret other people properly and not take what they say personally.

The Dalai Lama, as a symbol of the unification of the state of Tibet, represents and practices Buddhist values. The Dalai Lama’s leadership is benevolent and aims toward truth and understanding, alongside the other Buddhist precepts. This is a great example for all leaders: If you want to give good directions to others, you have to get feedback to understand the situation properly.

Encourage communication between team members and establish an open door policy.

Practice not interrupting team members when they’re talking. Instead, summarize what they say and ask for feedback after you have talked about your ideas.

6. Knowing How and When to Delegate

By now, you may be wondering how to be a good leader when you’re doing too many things. This is where delegation comes into play.

No matter how much you might want to, you can’t actually do everything yourself. Even if you could, in a team environment that would be a terrible idea, anyway.

What makes a good leader is the realization that delegation does more than simply alleviate personal stress levels (although that’s obviously a nice perk). Delegating to others shows that you have confidence in their abilities, which subsequently results in higher morale in the workplace, as well as loyalty from your staff. They want to feel appreciated and trusted.

Although Steve Jobs was known for focusing on the smallest of details, he knew how to delegate. By finding, cultivating, and trusting capable team members, Jobs was able to make Apple run smoothly, even when he had to be absent for extended periods of time.

To know when and how to delegate work to team members, you have to be very familiar with each of them:

Take a look at this guide and learn more about delegation: How to Delegate Work Effectively (The Definitive Guide for Leaders)

7. Growth Mindset

Any good leader knows how important it is to develop the skills of those around them. The best can recognize those skills early on. Not only will development make work easier as they improve and grow, it will also foster morale. In addition, they may develop some skills that you don’t possess that will be beneficial to the workplace.

Knowing how to be a leader is no easy feat. Great leaders share their knowledge with the team and give them the opportunity to achieve. This is how leaders gain their respect and loyalty.

It’s important to spend time talking with other team members individually to understand them. Find out team members’ current challenges and try to give feedback and encouragement so they will grow and do better.

8. Responsibility

When asking what makes a good leader, the importance of this trait cannot be undermined.

Great leaders know that when it comes to their company, work place or whatever situation they’re in, they need to take personal responsibility for failure. How can they expect employees to hold themselves accountable if they themselves don’t?

The best leaders don’t make excuses; they take the blame and then work out how to fix the problem as soon as possible. This proves that they’re trustworthy and possess integrity. Always ask yourself what you can do better or what you should change.

Take responsibility and think about what you can do better to prevent this from happening next time.

9. A Desire to Learn

It’s safe to say that all great leaders will have to enter uncharted waters at some point during their careers. Because of this, they have to be able to trust their intuition and draw on past experiences to guide them.

Great leaders know that there’s always something to learn from everything they have experienced before. They are able to connect the present challenges with the lessons learned in the past to make decisions and take action promptly.

You can either recall what you’ve learned from your memories or search your notes (ideally, a software that you can access anywhere with things well-organized).

To effectively learn from the past, write down lessons you’ve learned from any mistakes you’ve made. Have all the lessons well organized, and when similar things happen again in the future, take these lessons as references.

10. Willingness to Understand Human Nature

The study of human nature may begin with yourself, but true leaders aspire to understand others in equal measure.

A strong leader is aware that leading others requires a willingness on the part of those who follow; it requires ‘buy in’ to what the leader is working to accomplish. For this reason, a good leader will speak from the heart and speak to the emotions of others through their passion and beliefs.

By acting and behaving with integrity at all times, and by speaking and leading from a passionate set of values and beliefs, they appeal to and inspire passion and action in others.

11. Knowing One’s Purpose

Great leaders understand that desired changes in behavior and actions will naturally occur in others when they feel inspired and passionate about something. And so, true leaders share their own passion for their beliefs or cause with others.

Having a strong, clear vision and passion for their cause means truly understanding the ‘why’ behind what they do. Whether in business, sales, politics, or family relationships, knowing and sharing the passion of a clearly defined ‘why’ is critical.

Once a leader is clear on his or her ‘why’, the how (behavior, and actions) and what (desired end result) evolve and flow naturally, without the need for coercion or force.

12. Perseverance

Another quiet and often hidden quality of truly great leaders is perseverance.

Creating change, bringing innovation to the market, sparking progress, and leading others in times of adversity requires a commitment to one’s beliefs and ideas that are not easily shaken by the inevitable challenges and obstacles that arise.

Tenacity – following through when all you want to do is quit – requires a strength of character that many do not take the time to cultivate in themselves. That is what makes a good leader.

Great leaders understand the importance of staying on course, of having the grit and determination to push forward when many would turn back.

13. Decisiveness

Leaders are frequently called upon to make decisions (some leaders may have to make dozens of decisions every day). In fact, you could say that making decisions is one of the key things a leader must do.

Spend some time observing highly-successful leaders and you’ll see that they are quick to make decisions. They also enjoy making decisions, rather than stressing out like many non-leaders do when they’re asked to decide on something.

Put yourself in the leadership bracket by developing your decision-making skills. Start with small decisions – and then work your way up to bigger and more difficult decisions. Once other people notice your decision-making prowess, they’ll automatically see you as leadership material.

14. Empathy

The best leaders understand the feelings of their team members, customers, and associates. They know when to praise, and when to discuss problems (usually in private).

Without empathy, leaders will be seen as cold, harsh, and lacking understanding. They’re also likely to be regarded as untrustworthy.

One way to ‘put yourself in someone else’s shoes is to have regular informal discussions with your colleagues. When you do this, you’ll quickly learn their fears and desires. And when you understand why they have these – you’ll be in a position to express empathy.

15. Inspire Creativity

Solutions to problems are rarely black and white. Often it takes a leader who can “think outside the box” to come up with answers. In other words, a leader must be creative and also help to foster creativity and innovation throughout their team.

Creativity is not only associated with pursuits such as arts, literature, and music, running a team can be just as creative. There will be times every day when you need to come up with ideas and give guidelines for your team to come up with theirs to solve problems.

The Bottom Line

Now that you know what makes a good leader, you’re one step closer to becoming one. Leadership traits are learnable. If you practice consistently, you can be a great leader, too.

Make small changes to your habits when you work with your team, wherever that may be. Most of us aren’t presidents or CEOs, but we all work with other people, and our actions always impact others. This gives every person the chance to develop leadership skills and to stand out from the crowd.

Don’t have time for the full article? Read this.

Good leadership is about acquiring and honing specific skills. Leadership skills enable you to be a role model for a team in any environment. With great leadership qualities, successful leaders come in all shapes and sizes: in the home, at school, or in the workplace.

Great leaders know that they won’t have a happy and motivated team unless they themselves exhibit a positive attitude.

Confidence is one of the most important leadership qualities you must have because people will be looking to you on how to behave, particularly if things aren’t going 100% right. If you remain calm and poised, team members are far more likely to as well.

It is imperative for any kind of leader to have a sense of humor, particularly when things go wrong. Learn to laugh at yourself. Confident people laugh about their own silly mistakes, and when you do this, others will also trust you more because you’re willing to share your experiences.

Great leaders take failure in stride. They remain calm and logically think through the situation and utilize their resources.

Good communication skills are essential for a great leader. The best leaders need to be able to communicate clearly with the people around them. They also need to be able to interpret other people properly and not take what they say personally.

No matter how much you might want to, you can’t actually do everything yourself. What makes a good leader is the realization that delegation does more than simply alleviate personal stress levels. Delegating to others shows that you have confidence in their abilities, which subsequently results in higher morale in the workplace, as well as loyalty from your staff.

Good leaders know how important it is to develop the skills of those around them. Great leaders share their knowledge with the team and give them the opportunity to achieve. This is how leaders gain their respect and loyalty.

The best leaders don’t make excuses; they take the blame and then work out how to fix the problem as soon as possible. This proves that they’re trustworthy and possess integrity.

Great leaders know that there’s always something to learn from everything they have experienced before. They are able to connect the present challenges with the lessons learned in the past to make decisions and take action promptly.

A strong leader is aware that leading others requires a willingness on the part of those who follow; it requires ‘buy in’ to what the leader is working to accomplish.

Natural leaders understand that desired changes in behavior and actions will naturally occur in others when they feel inspired and passionate about something. And so, they share their own passion for their beliefs or cause with others.

Great leaders understand the importance of perseverance and tenacity, of having the grit and determination to push forward when many would turn back.

Highly-successful leaders are often quick to make decisions.

The best leaders understand the feelings of their team members, customers, and associates. They know when to praise, and when to discuss problems.

A leader must be creative and also help to foster creativity and innovation throughout their team.

What Makes a Great Leader?

The coronavirus pandemic has tested leaders across the globe. Which do you think have risen to the moment?

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Now, more than ever, we need strong and effective leadership from our politicians and public health officials during this global crisis.

In your opinion, what makes a person a great leader? Courage? Trustworthiness? Empathy?

How much do you value hands-on life experience — and the ability to get things done?

How much do you appreciate strong character — and the integrity to do what’s right instead of what may be popular?

How much do you admire effective communication — and the power to inspire and unify through words and actions?

The Times video “The Leader We Wish We All Had” looks at the leadership style of Dr. Amy Acton, an Ohio Health Department official, who has earned praise for her daily briefings on the pandemic.

The Leader We Wish We All Had

A look at the style of Dr. Amy Acton, who has earned praise for her daily briefings on the pandemic.

“This is no small thing that we are doing together. It is so incredibly hard to have shut down our lives the way we have. I am absolutely certain you will look back and know that you helped save each other.” This is Dr. Amy Acton, director of the Ohio Department of Health. Trademark lab coat, emphatic hand gestures, and a knack for metaphors. “It’s like Swiss cheese. So I want you to picture a hurricane. When you have a fire on your stove and you have your kitchen extinguisher, you’ll want to get it quick.” You may not have seen her press briefings. But in Ohio, they’ve become a daily ritual, catapulting her from unknown local official to cult icon. “Hi, my name is Amy Acton. Any questions?” “Dr. Amy is going to help us fight out the coronavirus.” In her youth, Dr. Acton overcame neglect and homelessness on her way to being crowned homecoming queen. And last year, she became the first doctor appointed to run Ohio’s health department. Under her, Ohio has become a leader in responding to Covid. It declared a state of emergency with just three confirmed cases, and it was the first state to shut down schools. Later that same week, some governors were still proudly eating in packed restaurants. And Dr. Acton issued a stay-at-home order affecting more than 11 million people when the death toll was still just three. So how did Dr. Acton do it? To find out, we watched more than seven weeks of press briefings, and we noticed themes that, well, let’s just say other leaders should pay attention to. First up, she empowers us. Take a look at this clip from the day Dr. Acton issued that stay-at-home order. “I don’t want you to be afraid. I am not afraid. I am determined. But I need you to do everything. I want you to think about the fact that this is our one shot in this country. All of us are going to have to sacrifice. And I know someday we’ll be looking back and wondering, what was it we did in this moment?” Of her 65 words there, 12 are pronouns. Her repeated use of “I” tells us she’s in it with us. She’s taking ownership. Her use of “you” makes the audience feel a connection with her, even though we’re watching from home. Toward the end, she switches from singular to collective pronouns, signaling that she’s just like us, and we’re in it together. She’s in charge, yet she’s made us feel like the heroes. “There are everyday heroes everywhere. We know that not all heroes wear capes. You’re heroic when you stay at home and watch your neighbor who’s a nurse’s child. I know you’re all donning those capes in big ways and small ways. Please help us. Thank you.” Ohioans were inspired. Not just to stay at home, but to spread her messages to each other. Another theme of Dr. Acton’s briefings is brutal honesty. And to understand this one, we have to take you back to mid-April. People were getting restless, wondering when things would get back to normal. “So I do hope no one at home thinks like, it’s wide open, May 1, going back to life as normal. The rules have changed, and they’re not going to be quite the same. Life will be different for quite some time to come, and maybe in some ways that are permanent.” She’s preparing us for the long haul, even if it’s not what we want to hear. “It’s really hard to hear that, but we are not going back to six months ago. That’s not the reality we all face.” This is something she does a lot, actually. Setting up bad news with a warning. “Ohioans, you know, I know that’s hard to take. I know that’s a hard truth for people, because we want there to be a right answer and a right way. And I know this is a deep breath we all must take.” Dr. Acton is also honest about what she doesn’t know. “We have to be very clear and transparent with you. All of these numbers are a gross underestimation, and we have no real idea of the prevalence of this infection yet.” A lot of leaders just avoid talking about uncertainty. But when Dr. Acton repeatedly says, “We don’t know.” It’s actually calming to hear her admit what we all feel deep down, that we just don’t have the full story. And finally, Dr. Acton sees vulnerability as a strength. After watching dozens of hours of briefings, there was one word we kept hearing over and over. “Please just acknowledge and give a name to what you’re going through. Acknowledge it with each other. And so I just want to acknowledge that these are still really tough times. This is wearing on all of us, and I just want to acknowledge that. I just want to acknowledge that all of us are feeling this. It’s such an unprecedented time.” Hearing Dr. Acton acknowledge our harder emotions forces us to face them head on. Stuffing down fear and sadness just causes more stress, and may make us act more selfishly instead of empathizing with each other. “And you’ll have days when you’re anxious. But don’t kill yourself over that. Please know and forgive yourself and try again.” And take a look at what she does here. “Every day I go through stages of grief. I go through, you know, denial. I go through a little anger. I go through a little bargaining. I don’t have to wear this. I might not need it. This isn’t true. I get a little down.” When she tells us she’s struggling too, we feel seen, and heard and less alone. And maybe that’s all any of us want right now. In a pandemic, the words our leaders choose can save lives. As of the end of April, Ohio had recorded fewer than 1,000 Covid deaths. By comparison, neighboring Michigan suffered more than 3,000, even though Ohio has a bigger population and had its first case three weeks earlier. Of course, other factors help explain this. But Dr. Acton convinced millions of Ohioans to stay at home. Not by ordering them, but by inspiring them. “People at home, you are moving mountains. You are saving lives. Again, I get emotional talking about this, because this is no small thing that we are doing together. It is so incredibly hard to have shut down our lives the way we have. I am absolutely certain you will look back and know that you helped save each other in this state. The impact is profound. Please, at home, don’t stop.”

What is your reaction to the video? Does it make a convincing case for Dr. Acton’s leadership? Do you agree that a good leader empowers listeners and makes them feel like “we’re in it together”? How important is it for leaders to be brutally honest? Should more leaders see “vulnerability as a strength,” as Dr. Acton does?

In “In a Crisis, True Leaders Stand Out,” the Times Editorial Board writes:

Leadership may be hard to define, but in times of crisis it is easy to identify. As the pandemic has spread fear, disease and death, national leaders across the globe have been severely tested. Some have fallen short, sometimes dismally, but there are also those leaders who have risen to the moment, demonstrating resolve, courage, empathy, respect for science and elemental decency, and thereby dulling the impact of the disease on their people.

The master class on how to respond belongs to Jacinda Ardern, the 39-year-old prime minister of New Zealand. On March 21, when New Zealand still had only 52 confirmed cases, she told her fellow citizens what guidelines the government would follow in ramping up its response. Her message was clear: “These decisions will place the most significant restrictions on New Zealanders’ movements in modern history. But it is our best chance to slow the virus and to save lives.” And it was compassionate: “Please be strong, be kind and united against Covid-19.”

Ms. Ardern, a liberal, then joined with the conservative prime minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, in shaping a joint effort that has all but eliminated the virus from their island nations.

Other examples of countries where swift and decisive action helped allay the impact of the disease and unite the nation range from South Korea and Taiwan in Asia to Germany, Greece and Iceland in Europe. Women, a minority among the national leaders of the world, emerged among the most effective and reassuring of them.

Like Ms. Ardern, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany acted early and calmly, warning Germans that many of them would fall prey to the novel coronavirus, and quickly getting testing underway. President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan likewise responded at the first sign of the new danger, keeping the virus under control and enabling her to send millions of face masks to the United States and Europe. In Iceland, Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir led the government in offering free coronavirus testing for all and organizing a thorough tracking system.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark, Finland’s prime minister, Sanna Marin — at 34 among the youngest of the world’s leaders — and Norway’s prime minister, Erna Solberg, are other women who have earned plaudits at home and abroad for their handling of the crisis.

The editorial continues:

That said, the leaders who have gained the respect and attention of their people, and who have succeeded in dulling the impact of the disease, share certain traits and approaches to leadership worth noting as this pandemic roars on — and for future crises as well.

A willingness to take quick and bold action, even when it carries political risk, is surely among the most important hallmarks of leadership in a crisis. It is now obvious that China’s efforts to conceal the outbreak, or President Trump’s to downplay it for far too long, proved disastrous. Ms. Ardern, by contrast, chose, as she put it, to “go hard and go early.”

Other elements of effective leadership include a respect for science, transparent messaging, constant updating of the evidence and prompt assurance of financial support. And also experience: Ms. Merkel’s background as a scientist is by all accounts a major factor in her credibility; in Ireland, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar’s background as a doctor prompted him to start giving phone consultations half a day each week and helped boost his previously flagging standing.

Beyond politics, economics and science lie qualities of character that can’t be faked, chiefly compassion, which may be the most important in reassuring a frightened, insecure and stricken population. Ms. Merkel is arguably among the least flashy, charismatic or eloquent of Europe’s leaders, but nobody would ever question her decency. When she addressed her nation on television, something she does rarely and with evident reluctance, there was nothing pompous or bombastic in her parting words: “Take good care of yourselves and your loved ones.”

Students, read the entire editorial, then tell us:

In your opinion, what makes a person a great leader? Which qualities of leadership described in the video and the editorial do you most value?

What role should leaders, in government and elsewhere, play during a crisis like this one? Which leaders — local or global, famous or not — do you think have most effectively risen to challenges of the pandemic?

What qualities of good leaders do you possess? Tell us about an experience you’ve had as a leader. What did you learn? What mistakes did you make? What life lessons might you be able to give to others as a result? Are there ways that you can use or develop your leadership skills now?

The Times editorial notes that many of the most effective national leaders during this crisis are women. What is your reaction? Are you surprised?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

What makes a great leader?

We know you’re super busy.
So we made this complete leadership guide to give you a hand.

Oh hey there, leader!

We’re so happy you popped in to read this guide.
(Exit streamers, confetti and balloons from ceiling)

Honestly, there’s no better time than now to level up your leadership skills. What with the future of work in full swing, the differentiating factor for all organizations is the quality of their leadership. So, what makes a leader great? Empowering people to give and be their very best.

It’s essential to the success of your team and company that you build up your leadership skill set, but who has the time, right? You’re a busy manager. Your schedule is probably jam packed with meetings. Maybe you’re dealing with conflict on your team? Trying to keep your boss happy? Everyone aligned on the business goals? It’s a lot, and adding something else to the list seems impossible, but we’re here to guide you the whole way through.

The fact that you’re here reading this guide means you care, so you’re already on the right track!

A sneak peek at what’s in this guide:

Becoming a great leader is an incredible opportunity

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

One of the most amazing things about working on your leadership skills is that you’ll get to see yourself transform as a person overall. Leadership is founded in relationships and developing people (including yourself). It’s a human based role, so this journey toward betterment as a leader is at once one of personal discovery, understanding and becoming the best version of yourself. How cool!

And what’s more, once you start to grow and develop your skills, your leadership will become contagious (in a good way). You’ll inadvertently awaken the inner leader in those around you. This ripple effect is pure magic to see in action!

We believe that leadership is for everyone, no title necessary. So long as you have the will to lead and an inclination to help others reach their potential, anyone can be a leader.

And it all starts with you!

Leaders aren’t born overnight, but all great journeys begin with just one step. If you apply the simple tips from this guide every day, and commit to practice and reflection, you’ll be making a difference in no time.

Before we delve into the most important skills and qualities for leaders to develop, there’s something you need to know…

The “Leader Laws”(a must read)

Our three Leader Laws will be your go-to for decision making. They should guide the way you handle situations, make calls and interact with people every day. Memorize them, live them, breathe them… even recite them in the mirror every morning (we do). Essentially, these are the uncompromising principles of great leadership that must always stay in check.

Lead by example

Whatever you preach, you must also practice. In order for people to buy into your vision, you need to walk the talk. If you want employees to trust you, you have to trust them. If you want your team to admit to mistakes, you’ve got to do the same. If you preach work-life balance, show them that you follow your own advice. Be the change you want to see, and whenever you’re unsure about what you’re asking from your employees, ask yourself, do I do this?

Lead from the bottom

The role of the leader is to guide people, not command them. The days of top down structures are long gone, and it’s time for all leaders to assume their proper place. Nelson Mandela famously equates a great leader with a shepherd who “stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.” A leader’s job is to support and guide from the bottom — to help lift others, not themself, up into the spotlight.

Lead with humanity

It is an uncompromising law of leadership that all leaders must see their employees as people, not just workers or worse, a dollar sign. The future of work demands that we put people at the center of every organization by encouraging them to bring their whole selves to work. The workforce is in need of inclusive leaders who lead from the heart and consistently prioritize people over profit. Companies are nothing without the people who form them, and the best leaders ensure that the practices of the business and the team reflect this, always. Always.

Ok, it’s time —
here are the top 10 skills and qualities of great leaders.

10 skills & qualities of a great leader

We’re sure you’ve bookmarked and pocketed 1000 articles listing the most important leadership qualities and skills for you to develop. But who has the time to read them all? While information is good, too much information can be counterproductive. Not to worry — we took care of plucking out the most important skills and qualities for you to focus on. We’ll also share some common workplace scenarios and how to tackle them like a true leader! You got this (strong arm emoji in your honour).

Top 10 leadership skills & qualities

Create a communication-friendly environment

Constant communication is a foundational skill in any relationship, but on teams, the absence of communication is a sure sign of trouble. As a leader, you want to create a communication-friendly space where it’s safe to express oneself and share ideas without fear or embarrassment (more on that here). Leaders must facilitate open communication by promoting the expression of differing thoughts and perspectives. The best way to do this is to model the behaviour yourself!

You know the drill, lead by example to encourage others to do the same!

Communication scenario: the missed deadline

You’re meeting one-on-one with someone from your team who has recently missed a deadline, and this is when you find out that it’s because they were overloaded and couldn’t keep up. Some employees have a hard time saying “no” to projects, and then fail to communicate that they’ve taken on too much because they don’t want to let their team down. Let your employee know that it’s better to flag these issues as they arise by communicating openly with the team, before they impact the bottom line.

Be vulnerable & build trust

The trope of the strong and infallible leader is outdated, and ascribing to it can be detrimental to your success, which goes hand-in-hand with the success of your team. If you’re not able to be vulnerable and open with your team, they won’t be vulnerable with you, either. But before anyone can be vulnerable, there has to be mutual trust. The best way to earn trust is to offer it out for free, so trust in your team members by default to build solid foundations in all of your relationships. Admitting to your own imperfections will earn you the trust and respect of those who report to you and those who you report to.

“People need to feel safe experimenting, failing and speaking up when they see problems or learn something new. That takes an environment of trust and for that to exist it starts with leadership being vulnerable enough to own up to failures and be open with their weaknesses.”

Vulnerability scenario: stretched out thin

You’ve been put on a few additional projects recently, and you’re having trouble getting it all done and properly managing your team. Your first move should be to speak with your own manager, and work with them to find solutions to help you prioritize your team. More importantly, though, you should speak with your team. Let them know that you’re being stretched a bit thin, and admit that it’s hard on you. Then, remind them that they are your top priority and you’re always there for them, so you’re working on finding a solution.

Motivate people to move in the same direction

A huge part of leadership is inspiring and motivating your team toward a shared vision and common goals. People are motivated when they feel their hard work serves a larger purpose, so take the time to demonstrate how their tasks are connected to the bigger picture. When everyone on the team has the same mission in mind, collaboration and teamwork will be their strongest. And of course, make sure everyone is receiving frequent and meaningful recognition for their efforts.

Motivation scenario: the crunch time blues

The team has been in a crunch leading up to a big event, and everyone’s been putting in extra effort. You can tell that morale is dwindling. Don’t wait until the celebration after the big event to recognize everyone’s dedication. Call a team meeting and take the time to tell them all that you see how hard they’re working and how proud you are. Remind them of how their work contributes to larger company goals. Hearing it while they’re in the thick of it will give them a boost!

Develop your emotional intelligence

In a position founded in relationships, you must develop soft skills and emotional intelligence to navigate the human elements of your role (lead with humanity!). It starts with getting to know yourself better, and then you can become more conscious of how your emotions influence your behaviour — and how your behaviour influences other people’s emotions. This includes the ability to identify what shapes your opinions, and avoid projecting them onto other people (or groups of people). It can be hard to understand the way that others think and feel, but working on this will help you to best address the needs of your team members in an effective way.

Emotional intelligence scenario: keeping calm in a crisis

Your employee made a mistake — a big one — that will have a direct negative impact on a client, colleague, or business objective. It’s natural that this might cause you to panic, but what’s important is how you manage that response. The last thing you want to do is get mad, lash out, or punish your employee. Your focus has to be on helping them find a solution. Meet with your employee and tell them that you’ll fix this together, then talk them through it. Ask them about what they did, what impact it had, and what needs to happen to rectify the situation. The best leaders guide their employees through problem solving rather than telling them what to do, even in the most critical moments.

Prioritize people over profit

Putting people first is essential to modern leadership! The better you know your team members on a personal level, the better you’ll be able to guide them professionally — not to mention tap into their unique ideas and perspectives. Take it a step further by encouraging that same relationship building among team members for stronger creative collaboration and problem solving. Remember that the happiness of your employees is inextricably linked to the happiness of your customers.

People-first scenario: managing a sudden leave

One of your employees has a sudden personal crisis, and needs to take a leave of absence. First, reassure your employee that the team will have their back while they’re away, and ask them what you can do to support them. Then, meet with your team to fill them in on what they need to know and how they can support their team member, too. Come up with a plan and reassure your team that together you’ll tie up any loose ends for the employee on leave, without anyone shouldering too much.

Have humility & stay humble

The strongest leaders are humble; they’re not in it for the title or the status. Strong leadership is about empowering others, not being in a position of power. You need to see your team members as equals, and recognize that you have something to learn from each and every one of them. This means having enough self-assurance to focus more on the success of your team than any personal gain (lead from the bottom!). The magical part is that when you take on such a selfless role, you end up discovering a lot about yourself in the process.

Humility scenario: giving credit where credit is due

You have a meeting coming up with the other leadership to go over the OKRs of the past quarter. Your team has been killing it, demonstrating strong collaboration and teamwork, coming up with creative new approaches and ideas, and hitting all their targets. Of course you’ve been doing a great job managing the team, but rather than focus on how your effective management led them to success, talk about what they did. This is a great opportunity to let your team’s efforts shine, and it will be obvious that you supported them through it all.

Coach & empower others (& yourself)

As a leader, you’re only as strong as your team, so you want to build them up as best you can. Part of this is helping them develop their technical skills, but you also want to help them develop their soft skills and their confidence. Coaching your employees directly is a great way to connect with them if you have the time and expertise, but if not, it’s important to set them up with the right person for the task. You should also always be striving to develop your own skills and become a better leader; this is a great way to be a role model to your team (lead by example!).

“To me, the sign of a good leader is how they develop, nurture, and mentor others. If you can build someone else into a leader, you truly understand how to lead yourself.”

Angie M. Callen
Career Coach, Resume Strategist, & Professional Development Consultant at Career Benders

Coaching scenario: passing the torch

You’re managing a team of sales representatives, which was the role you were in before being promoted to management. You coach each of your employees individually on a technical level, but your team is growing and you’re having a hard time following up on everyone’s progress. Instead of outsourcing another coach, why not start mentoring one of your more experienced employees to become a coach themself? They could become a peer coach for newer or less experienced team members, allowing you to be more effective in your coaching with the rest of the team, giving you more time to focus on your own development.

Foster a learning environment

Encouraging curiosity and learning won’t just keep the people on your team engaged, it’ll also lead to the innovative ideas that will set your company apart. You want to create a space in which people feel safe to think outside the box, test new approaches, and yes, even fail. Your role in this as a leader is to encourage calculated risk taking and help everyone find the lessons to be learned, regardless of whether you win or lose. As a leader, create a learning-friendly environment by speaking in terms of hypotheses, tests, and iterations rather than certainties, outcomes, and final products.

Learning scenario: the project was a flop

Your team worked really hard on a project, but it didn’t turn out as planned. You might be disappointed, and you may be able to spot where it went wrong, but resist the urge to give your perspective right away! This is a great opportunity to help the team learn from their mistakes. Ask them where they think it went wrong. Have them reflect and talk through what worked, what didn’t, and what they can try next time. Being an effective leader doesn’t mean having all the answers, it’s about helping your team find them themselves.

Be accountable & transparent

It’s not easy to admit that you messed up, or take the blame when things go wrong, but as a leader it’s essential to upholding your integrity. When you make a decision, you have to own the outcome — good or bad. If you fall short on something, admit that you screwed up and apologize sincerely. People value honesty and no one likes the feeling of being the last to know, so make sure you’re updating your team on anything that will affect their work as soon as it comes up. You can’t expect your employees to be accountable and transparent with you if you aren’t with them.

Accountability scenario: unforeseen impact

You made a game time executive decision, and it’s impacting your team more than you expected. You can sense some frustration, and possibly even some resentment, but it’s too late to go back now. Be upfront with your team and take full responsibility for the effects of your decision. Apologize, and acknowledge that even though the impact was unintended, it’s on you nonetheless. Let your team know how you plan to improve the situation, or how you’ll avoid a similar one in the future.

Lead through change & adversity

In a workforce that’s evolving at an exponential pace, great leaders need to be agile, and build agile teams who can navigate the uneven terrain. This means reassessing and redefining goals and tactics regularly. A process that your team perfected six or even three months ago may no longer work, and your team will have to adapt on the fly. You want to inspire them to embrace change with open arms — that way, you and your team will be up for the challenge when adversity strikes.

Change scenario: the team is uncertain

The C-Suite executives of your organization present a strategy for the coming year that significantly redefines the company’s bottom line. There’s a palpable uncertainty throughout your team, and anxiety about how roles and responsibilities will change in their day-to-day. As a leader, it’s important that you project a positive attitude toward this type of change to reassure your team that you will all adapt together. Let them know that you’re there for them, then clearly outline and communicate how this will alter your team’s direction, and make sure everyone’s on the same page.

Management & leadership: what’s the difference?

Not all leaders are managers, but all managers must be leaders.

You probably already know this, but the role of a manager is complex. It’s a two-in-one position that requires both management and leadership skill sets. The trick is finding the sweet spot between the two, and this balance, like most things, comes with practice.

At its base, Management is about the “how” you do things (the technical elements, the planning, the processes and the organization), whereas Leadership is about the “why” (engaging people by connecting everything to a larger mission, and thinking beyond the now to what could be).

Below, we map out some key differences between management and leadership — and where they overlap — to clarify the duality of your role (FYI, this list is not exhaustive).

Management

Manager

Leadership

As you can see, both areas of focus are equally important! No manager — no human being — is perfect, so it’s inevitable that you’ll have to work on building up some of your skills on both sides of the coin. Our hope is that these lists will help you figure out where the best place to start is for you.

Last words for a leader in the making

“Great leaders are lifetime learners. They should study leadership through books and courses and ideally get a coach who can offer specific guidance.”

Kevin Kruse
New York Times bestselling author, Founder and CEO of LEADx

Great job finishing this guide!

It’s a huge leap in the right direction and it will hopefully serve as a go-to for you along the way (we’re always here for you). Remember, becoming a leader is a continuous process. The more experiences you have and challenges you face, the more you’ll grow.

In fact, being open to learning is paramount to your success. Remember that when in doubt, consult the Leader Laws in this guide. A true leader is one that leads by example, leads from the bottom, and leads with humanity.

Alright, you’re ready… now go get your leader on!

25 Leadership Qualities That Makes You A Good Leader

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.

Over the decades, many companies could not compete with global competition. Among the ones that did succeed, most could not sustain their position in the market.

Leaders like Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and Warren Buffet, with their vision, unshakable determination, and persistent hard work, led their respective companies to great heights. With their belief and strong leadership qualities, they gave a new dimension to the world of business.

This blog, though, is not about them but about the good leadership qualities that help people make their company great, achieve greatness, and bring new transformations in the world.

Before deep-diving into the leadership qualities, let’s understand leadership in brief.

What is Leadership?

Warren Bennis called it the capacity to translate vision into reality.

If you google the term ‘Leadership,’ you will find endless leadership definitions by the great minds and leaders. After working with some good leaders and being in a leadership position myself, the understanding I have developed is that leadership can influence the crowd to believe, act, and work with perseverance to meet the greater good.

Being a good leader is not a cakewalk. One must possess effective leadership qualities that help them achieve higher goals and objectives. Be it resistance and persistence of Mahatma Gandhi or the vision of Elon Musk.

Here is the list of 25 essential leadership qualities that help leaders to achieve greater success

1. Integrity

Integrity is a core quality that every leader must possess. You cannot run any business successfully if you lack integrity. Self-development author Brian Tracy says that whenever he holds a strategic business meeting, the first value every executive agrees on is integrity.

Business leaders know- Integrity is the foundation of good leadership, and one must stand for their beliefs. No matter how hard a situation, a good leader inspires with his principles without compromising; they refrain from making false promises or take shortcuts, choosing thoughts and action over personal gain. Delivering the said promises as ethically and morally grounded is necessary to pay the dividend in the long run.

2. Innovative

An innovative leader is not a creative genius with thought-provoking ideas but gives others the freedom to develop their ideas. You would always find people with great ideas who lack the will, determination, and fear of taking any actions. But innovative leaders are not one of them.

Innovative people are always open to new ideas and discussions. They listen to everyone actively and also motivate others to think out of the box. This quality gives them an edge over others since they are always hunting for creativity and innovations. As the innovative leader, Steve Jobs himself said, ‘Innovations distinguish between a leader and a follower.’

3. Honesty

One of the essential leadership qualities is the possession of honesty. Honesty is expected from leaders to garner trust and respect from people for reliability. Moreover, we look upto people who are loyal to their words and are accountable. Thus, honesty is the most valued trait for any business leader or any leader in general.

Leadership can be defined in one word ‘Honesty’. You must be honest with the players and honest with yourself.

4. Active Listening

The roots of effective leadership lie in simple things, one of which is listening. Listening to someone demonstrates respect; it shows that you value their ideas and are willing to hear them.

Active listening is an excellent quality to have when it comes to leadership. Good leaders listen to people with great attention and sincerity. It helps them understand people and their perspectives. Active listening builds trust and relationships in the long run. Good leaders communicate with care, focus on the person and the message; they don’t interrupt and acknowledge what is being said. And that is what the world needs; leaders who listen to its people. Acquiring this skill is not easy; it needs self-awareness and humility to respect others’ thoughts.

5. Self-Confidence

Self-confidence is found abundantly amidst true leaders; hence they know about their competencies and leadership qualities. They are sure about their competencies and leadership skills. They have a sense of self-assurance and self-esteem and, most importantly, believe that they can make a difference. As Rosalynn Carter rightly said, ‘You have to have confidence in your ability and be tough enough to follow through.’

Self-confidence is critical for leadership because it gives them wings to take risks, accomplish goals, and fly high. Organizational leaders take charge themselves and march with positivity and confidence. It allows them to make immediate decisions, solve organizational problems and conflicts. Good leaders take full responsibility and quick actions without passing on issues, ignoring, or procrastinating.

6. Visionary

A leader should be Visionary and have more foresight than an employee.

A visionary leader is far-sighted and driven and inspired by what a company can become. Visionary leaders work hard for the greater good and keep themselves updated with time and change. Ensuring a vision for the future with perseverance and keeping everybody invested in the process is what a visionary leader does.
A visionary leader does not hold back to take risks and unconventional decisions.

7. Strong Communicator

Excellent communication is the key to good leadership. An effective leader knows how to put across his message. They are good orators and communicate to get his/her work done. They are not harsh; they choose words and expressions which suit the situation and allow others to express their thoughts and ideas.

They understand how important it is to have good communication skills.. They are very conscious and learn from others’ behaviors, which gives them a deep understanding of human complexities.

8. Delegation

The ability to delegate effectively is a good leadership quality. A good leader who knows how to delegate wisely and make the best out of it. Delegation is crucial for maximizing productivity and team performance. Also, a leader is the busiest person in any organization. Therefore knowing when and how to delegate gives them more time for their most important work.

Also, an essential factor to note here is that the ability to delegate does not limit to delegating tasks to others. It also means having the awareness and understanding of who has the necessary skills and expertise to complete the task. Mindful delegation is vital to save time and future inconveniences.

You can also check our video!

9. Decision-making Skill

Good leaders are decisive and know how to help the organization, employees, stakeholders, and customers.

You would never envision a leader who is unclear and uncertain. Good leaders are aware of the fact of how their decisions can make or break businesses. They evaluate a given circumstance many a time before coming to any conclusion. They collect the necessary information required before making any announcements. Also, they do not believe rumors but examine a situation or a problem themselves before making a decision.

10. Problem-Solving Skills

Leadership roles are not only limited to management or delegating. Today for any business leaders, the spectrum of leadership responsibilities have evolved. For the proper functioning of an organization, leaders must have problem-solving skills and an eye for analyzing the situation to make better decisions. When it comes to effective leadership, problem-solving skills are crucial.

Good leaders have this innate ability to respond to problems. They are equipped with the ability to identify and define problems. Make the analysis, use data, and communicate to solve the issues.

Cultivating strong problem-solving skills is vital for any leader to eliminate barriers.

11. Fair Attitude

We all have personal biases. One who can think and act beyond this loop is what makes them different from the crowd. These biases are one of the factors why most leaders fail to achieve greater heights.

Good leaders are fair to the employees and the organization’s processes. They acknowledge the good and always make room for everyone to thrive together.

They understand that nothing significant has ever been achieved with an attitude that is unfair and biased. Even if it does, the sustainability of the outcome is always questionable.

Good leaders keep biases and unfairness out of the window and create a culture that does not promote or acknowledge this attitude.

12. Inquisitiveness

Have you ever watched great leaders sharing stories and their experiences in Ted-talks? I presume you have. If you haven’t, I recommend you do it.

You would realize how knowledgeable and curious these leaders are. And how they are always open to learning new things. Their thoughts, ideas, and perceptions are unique and thought-provoking.

The reason behind this is their inquisitiveness and curiosity from life. They pursue various interests and keep themselves invested in it. They are open to broadening their spectrum through art, technology, and science. And, in fact, all the world’s know-how.

This quality helps them build a rational and positive attitude towards any problems.

13. Self-motivated

The great leaders of business, industry, and finance, and the great artists, poets, musicians and writers all became great because they developed the power of self-motivation.

One of the essential leadership traits of good leaders is their ability to motivate others. Good leaders always motivate their employees and boost their morale when needed. They sail their boat smoothly, even in hazardous situations. They keep themselves self-motivated and set an example to follow.

14. Humility

Humble leaders make the best leaders. This statement is not something I am claiming to be true. In his seminal book ‘Good to Great,’ Jim Collins shows extensive research data on how humble and willful leaders help their companies grow and sustain their market position.

Humility is not the first trait that comes to mind when we think about leadership. But it is one of the essential qualities of a good leader. It is because humility often gets overshadowed by the flamboyance of the celebrated leadership qualities.

Humble and willful leaders understand the fact that leadership is all about working for the greater good. They lead to transform, not dominate. They are aware of their strengths and weaknesses and always yearn to learn and contribute more.

15. Care for Others

The best leaders have a high consideration factor. They care about their people.

Good leaders understand the value of the balance between work and life. They know that people’s health and wellness associated with the organization play an important role in attaining success.
They inspire their team members and make sure the staff, clients, beneficiaries, and customers feel trusted.

They understand the importance of appreciating and recognizing employees and creating mutual respect and understanding within the organization.
They work towards giving them an environment where everyone can flourish.

16. Self-Discipline

Good leadership is in developing discipline in others. Good leaders are self-disciplined and have good time management skills. They encourage a culture where people are disciplined. This is a quality in which people can adapt themselves with persistence. When you are self-disciplined and set an example, you motivate others to follow.

In an organization where everything is fast-paced, and employees get occupied with so much workload, being more disciplined can help achieve more and keep the work environment at ease.

17. Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence is the capability to identify, manage, evaluate, and understand our own emotions and the people around us.

According to the psychologist, Daniel Goleman, EI has five components-

Good leaders are self-aware, act in control, take calculated decisions without getting carried away. They understand other’s perspectives without being cynical. They are self-motivated and have strong social skills, which help them build connections and healthy relationships.

These explain that good leaders have a high degree of Emotional Intelligence. This is why EI is one of the essential leadership attributes.

18. Passion

Passion is a common leadership trait found in most effective leaders across the world. They are highly passionate about their goals and objectives. They know what they want and work tirelessly to achieve those. Their passion is infectious and also very inspiring. They are highly committed to their goals and also help others in achieving theirs.

Passionate leaders elevate productivity and ensure that the employees commit to their vision. Passion helps leaders to instill motivation in their employees and helps to achieve the desired vision.

19. Resilience

Leaders must be tough enough to fight, tender enough to cry, human enough to make mistakes, humble enough to admit them, strong enough to absorb the pain, and resilient enough to bounce back and keep on moving.

One must understand their self before taking responsibility for others. Resilient leaders are perceptive and also know how to handle themselves in any good or bad situation.

Resilient leaders are capable of retaining their energy level under strain and responding to disruptive changes. They also overcome severe challenges without destructive behavior or hurting others. Resilient leaders are high performing leaders who recover from any adversity positively.

20. Accountability

Being an accountable leader is not an easy task. It means you can own up to commitments and promises you made. It means being answerable to the actions and decisions made by you and by those you lead. Accountable leaders establish clear goals and targets. They focus on the future and also own up to their mistakes. They ask for help when needed and provide honest and constructive feedback.

Accountability is the glue that ties commitment to the result.

21. Supportive

Leadership without support is like trying to make bricks without enough straw. True leaders reinforce their ideas and plans with strategic partnerships, alliances, and supportive audiences.

Supportive leaders give the guidance that you need. Supportive leaders mentor you, guides you till you need little to no supervision in the future. They do not believe in delegating tasks and expecting results right away. They are with you in the process and support you with their knowledge and experiences. Supportive leadership involves building trust among the team members and encouraging dialogue to keep the team spirit high. The fundamentals of supportive leadership are, therefore, promoting teamwork, building relationships, and commitment.

22. Tech-savvy

For digital transformation, the world needs Tech-Savvy leaders. Today’s leader needs to understand the technology sufficiently to sustain their business. The organization’s technology decisions must be guided with a strategy and transforming its analog experience into a digital. The majority of the companies worldwide are digital today, and it will only grow exponentially with time. Therefore, it becomes evident that business leaders enhance technological skills for sustainability and making better decisions.

Our future success is directly proportional to our ability to understand, adapt, and integrate new technology into our work.

23. Empathy

Empathy is a core leadership trait that helps you nurture your team. Empathy is in understanding others’ needs and what goes into their mind. We live in a world with a constant communication loop, and people interact with each other at much ease. But at the same time, people are less empathetic towards each other. Many communicate to express but not to understand others perspectives.

Empathetic leaders are perceptive, and they are aware of other’s feelings and thinking. Being empathetic does not always mean to agree on other’s views, but to appreciate and have a willingness to understand.

Leadership is about empathy. It is about having the ability to relate to and connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives.

24. Learning Agility

Agile leaders make the best response to organizational change and uncertainty. Today we need leaders who are quicker in decision-making and who can take immediate action in crisis times. We live in a fast-paced world, and work trends are evolving in no time. Therefore there is little time for all to take calculated decisions. Also, the strategies and policies that worked well in the past can be obsolete today. One of the visible examples is the Covid-19 crisis. The crisis had changed the landscape of work culture, and leaders had to find new strategies to fight the storm overnight.

The future of work will always be uncertain and ambiguous. Future events will bring new challenges. Organizations now will only thrive in the future under the supervision of leaders who can make sense of uncertainty.

25. Empowerment

Great leaders can empower their team members to achieve maximum productivity and organizational success.

Empowerment gives the team members equal decision-making opportunities and uses their power of judgment and expertise to develop solutions. This builds the sense of individual worth and also employees’ commitment towards their organization. Every individual brings their skills and talents to the table that often finds a route to flow. Usually, you would have skillful team members, but lack of guidance and motivation fails to bring them the best.

It is, therefore, on leaders how they foster these skills by empowering them. Good leaders know how to unleash positive traits in others. They understand that the only way to do that is by empowering them. Therefore, leaders take it as a daily practice to continuously empower people and strengthen the team.

As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.

Final Note!

Every leader has an urge to lead, inspire, and contribute to the greater good. And this is why you need the right leadership qualities to guide you. No one can own all these leadership qualities.

It is a consistent effort and self-belief that paves the path. Leaders should, therefore, be mindful and exercise these leadership skills for sustainable growth.

If you have reached here, I would like to presume that you have gained some new perspectives on these critical leadership qualities.

Do write your thoughts below if you have some more exciting and informative views on the same.