8 Things That All Great Leaders Have in Common
If you think of a great leader, who is the first you are thinking of? The CEO of a business, a politician, a sportsman, an inventor, your own boss? What are the 8 things that all great leaders have in common and what makes you a good manager? Find out here:
# 1 — Leaders have a positive attitude at all times,
no matter whether their team is going through a happy or tough period. Leaders are fully aware that in order to be successful, they need to have happy, motivated and satisfied employees in their team. The leader is the role model who sets the tone and mood in their respective field.
# 2 — They take responsibility.
If mistakes happen, they take personal responsibility for it. They don’t come up with excuses, instead they personally take the blame and think about how to sort out the problem. This really shows the leader’s integrity and trustworthiness.
# 3 — They know how to cope with failure.
Let’s remind ourselves that nobody is perfect. Mistakes and failure does occur to everyone sooner or later. The important thing to remember is: to learn from it and to not repeat the same mistake in the future, to stay calm in the situation and to decide what to do next. Leaders don’t share their fears and worries with other team members, because they know that it would have a very negative impact on them. Being a leader also means to lead when things go wrong, doing it the right way is the art!
# 4 — They invest in their employees.
Developing the skills of other team members brings many benefits: their jobs will be carried out easier, it will increase morale, they develop skills which might be beneficial to the company, they feel appreciated and make a difference to the company’s success.
# 5 — The ability to delegate
is another thing that all leaders have in common. One person can’t do it alone. Leaders know when the time for delegation has arrived, and to whom they need to delegate specific tasks. You as a leader show them that you trust them, you are confident in their abilities and that affects team morale, productivity and profits. Let’s not forget that it will also lower every leader’s level of stress!
# 6 — They know how to communicate.
Communication in all its different forms (in writing, over the phone, face to face, non-verbally, online) needs to be effective. Misunderstandings in communication can easily occur, if not clarified on time. It is therefore of paramount importance to know: what to say, when to say and how to say it. Effective communication has the benefit that things will get done quicker and better and mistakes, waste of time and money can be avoided.
# 7 — They are highly confident.
Being confident without being arrogant is crucial. If things go wrong, a team needs someone who remains poised and confident. If you show your nervousness, indecisiveness and start panicking, what do you think will other people’s reaction be?
# 8 — They show their commitment.
Leaders stick to what they promise and they lead by example. They don’t expect things from others, which they would not be prepared to do themselves. They are fully aware that it would mean a loss of respect, trust, credibility and confidence from others.
Do you have these 8 things that all great leaders have? If not, then think about the next steps you need to take in order to become one, if that is your goal for the new year! All the best!
