The world we live in today was never the same as thousands of years ago or even, dare I say, five years ago. I believe that part of the reason for this is the leaders who lead the changes and maintain the standard in our society, be it good or bad. For better or for worse, these leaders are the ones who shape our nations, communities, and organizations.
There are leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. who succeeded in changing our culture for the better. Meanwhile, there are leaders like Adolf Hitler whom we would rather erase in the book of history. If you are a leader — or even an aspiring one — I wish that you become a leader who strives to be righteous and fair at all times like Martin Luther King, Jr.
Remember that you are placed in that position because the people trust you. and breaking that trust can only result in heartaches — both for you and the people who trusted you.
But do you know what makes a good leader? What characteristics of a great leader should you have so you can successfully do your part in shaping this world for the better?
26 Characteristics of a Great Leader
Our society is quicker to identify a bad leader rather than a great one. And I believe that’s because no one has the perfect list of good leadership skills. On the other hand, it’s easier to spot a bad leader because we are, sad to say, surrounded by a lot of them. And while it’s true that there really is no perfect list of these best leadership qualities, the next best thing we come can come up with is somehow close to perfect.
In this article, we will take an in-depth look at the top 26 characteristics of a great leader that can help you as you move towards your leadership goals.
1. Lead with integrity
When the 34th President of the United States, Dwight.D.Eisenhower said, “The supreme quality of leadership is unquestionably integrity,” he is speaking on behalf of everyone who dreams to lead. Whether it’s giving proper credit for accomplishments or even acknowledging mistakes, one of the good traits of a leader is to lead with integrity. A great leader always strives to do what is right even if it may not be the best decision to achieve your end goal.
2. One of the top characteristics of a great leader is being courageous.
Disclaimer: having courage does not mean that you never feel afraid. A human without any fear is like a pig who can fly. Rather, being courageous means acting in the face of fear.
As a leader, you are likely to face a fear or two every day. You may encounter fear of conflict, vulnerability, or even failure. The reason why having courage is in the list of leadership qualities is that it will protect you from all sorts of challenges you will face daily. It’s the foundation of many other leadership attributes.
3. Passion to inspire others
One of the most challenging jobs for leaders is to convince others to follow their lead. But while it may not be an easy path to tread, it can help you take one step closer by setting an excellent example for others. It’s our nature to follow the leader and see how they react to the situation when things get tough. If you handle it well, you will gain more trust from your followers. In return, they will be inspired to follow in your footsteps in leading others for the better. By setting an example for your subordinates, you can overcome all the challenges you will be facing straightforwardly.
4. An ethical leadership is a good leadership.
Ethical leadership is not just avoiding corporate crimes. More than that, it also means treating people fairly and encouraging others to do the right thing. However, ethics may vary between individuals, so it is your job to establish organizational values for your subordinates to follow. For example, you can create a code of ethics that shows the importance of values like respect and inclusivity.
5. An excellent communicator
As a leader, your mission is to motivate, instruct, and discipline your people. But it is impossible to accomplish these missions if you don’t know how to communicate well. Remember that poor communication can only lead to poor outcomes. Words hold the power to make the people do even the unthinkable.
6. One of the best characteristics of a great leader is being accountable.
It’s easy to spot good leadership even from the distance when you can see him accepting responsibility for his words and actions. Sure, not every action you make will be a smashing success. But when you make a bad call, you should know how to respond by accepting defeat.
Keep in mind that the best leadership is taking responsibility for the actions of your team. It is not always your fault — I’ll give you that — but it is your duty to find a solution.
7. Effective delegation
You cannot do everything yourself. That’s why you need to focus on key responsibilities while delegating the other tasks to your team. Micromanaging your subordinate can only do harm to your team’s trust as well as your focus on important matters. Rather than micromanaging them, learn how to empower and delegate the tasks to them. Make sure that you provide them with all the resources and support they need to accomplish the task.
8. Being creative and innovative
If you ask the world what separates a leader from a follower, Steve Jobs already has the answer (the best one yet) for you. “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower,” the greatest visionary of our time will tell you. Leadership means being creative and innovative, so you can survive this fast-paced world and beat your competitors. These two characteristics of a great leader are what will make your team stand out from the crowd. So do your best to come up with unique ideas and turn them into reality.
9. Being resilient is a good leadership attribute.
Leading when the seas are smooth is a piece of cake, but what happens when experience challenges and crises? That’s why resiliency is here on the list of characteristics of a great leader for a reason.
While it’s easier said than done, applying resiliency to your leadership will allow you to bounce back when things fall apart. If you fall apart the same way as your situation does, chances are that your subordinates will too. By being resilient, you need to show confidence and professionalism. At the same time, you also need to express emotions so that you can become more human and a better leader.
10. Easy to coach
The greatest leaders are the ones who know how to coach — and how to be coached. It means being aware of the improvement he needs to make and having the desire to improve. If you want to have this trait of a good leader, there are a few ways on how you can work on it.
Take note that you have to self-evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, so you can know which are to improve. Then, seek feedback by asking your team how you are doing as a leader. Lastly, take action by working on weak areas and trying on new leadership approaches.
11. Humility
Arrogance not only kills creativity — it also ruins the trust of your team. Take some time to reevaluate yourself: are you an arrogant leader?
An arrogant leader is someone who likes to blame others, make excuses, and even deceive others to save face. Instead of being one, you need to show humility by admitting when you are in the wrong and appreciating that you’re not entirely responsible for all the tasks in your company. By owning up to your mistakes, you can transform your failure into a powerful force of change.
12. True Loyalty as one of the characteristics of a great leader
Another trait of a good leader is being loyal to his people and to his commitment. He understands that true loyalty is reciprocal. And because of this, they can express their loyalty in different tangible ways that can benefit their people. Having true loyalty means standing up for the people in times of crisis and conflict; it means positioning himself in a place of service to their team members.
13. Transparency
One of the best ways to build people’s trust is by being transparent to them. Rather than hiding information, you must share it with them. In this way, you can easily sell your vision, so they can have a bigger reason to support you with conviction in achieving your common goals. Most of all, transparency will help you provide clarity, empowerment, engagement, and autonomy for your people.
14. Empathy (rather than dictatorship)!
Most leaders fall into the trap of dictatorial leadership style (a.k.a one of the worst leadership styles) and neglecting empathy altogether. As a result, they fail to make good connections with their people. I hope that this is not the case for you. Rather, you should strive to develop empathy with your followers.
There are many simple ways you can show empathy to your team. The second best way you can do that is to understand their problems and feel their pain. Of course, working hard to provide your followers with the help they need is the most essential way you can show your empathetic side as a leader.
15. Emotional intelligence
Connecting with people emotionally is the most ideal way you can increase your influence towards them. With emotional intelligence, you can control your emotions, which is the biggest hindrance when making decisions. Moreover, an emotionally intelligent leader understands and cares about others. Therefore, they are able to handle conflicts better than other leaders.
16. A leader who can share his vision
A visionary leader is someone that everyone needs in their life because they know the way out of everything. Because they have a clear vision of where they want to go, there’s a higher chance they could make it happen. So do your best to articulate your vision clearly and passionately, so you can ensure that your team understands how important their efforts are to your higher-level goals. By personally working hard towards your goals, your whole team will be inspired and encouraged to do the same.
17. Having a growth mindset: one of the most underrated characteristics of a great leader
Having great leadership qualities is cool and all, but it’s not enough to withstand the test of time. As a leader, you need to maintain a growth mindset, so you can embrace effort and pursue mastery. At the same time, it can encourage your team to work through challenges and grow the same way you do.
A growth mindset is one of the most fundamental traits of a good leader, so always challenge yourself to learn and grow.
18. Positive energy
Everything is energy. That’s why a leader must always give off positive vibes around his people. When you give off positive energy to your team, you are helping them become more productive and motivated. As a leader, your positive energy contributes to the success of your meetings, a workday, or even the overall energy of the company.
Maintain your positive energy by always presenting a pro-active and caring approach. Make time to speak to your team and make sure to develop an authentic relationship with them.
19. Decision-making skills
One of the most critical leadership abilities is the ability to make wise decisions. I believe that it is also one of the key habits of successful people in leadership positions. After all, decisions made by leaders have a huge impact on the masses. That’s why you need to think clearly and hard before making decisions. And we’ve already covered the fact that making wrong decisions can sometimes happen. But despite this, you need to make decisions and move forward confidently.
20. Right amount of confidence
Speaking of confidence, one of the characteristics of a great leader is confidence. A great leader is always self-assured and has the charisma that came from the trust he gives to himself.
The right amount of confidence radiates from calmness and the belief that success is inevitable. It makes him easier to put trust in his team, which helps him boost their bond.
While this kind of mindset may be harder for others to achieve, you should not skip this one as it is an essential trait of a good leader. Continue to kindle your confidence by living according to your values.
21. Determination
Determination is your desire to accomplish your goals despite the many obstacles you will encounter. After all, challenges come and go, so why should you give up?
While employees can give up and look for another job when things get tough, leaders can’t. You have to work through the tough spot and stay in your position until the end.
Another word for determination is grit — or the union of passion and perseverance behind your achievements.
22. Problem-solver
Having the ability to solve problems wisely and quickly is one way to set yourself apart as a great leader. But if problem-solving is not one of your key strengths, there are a few ways you can do to work on it.
Analyze the problem by looking at it from as many angles as possible. Collaborate with your team by delegating the tasks and communicating the issues. Lastly, try to look for the best solution so that you can balance its risks.
23. Committed and Passionate
As a leader, your team will always look up to you for the next steps they should take. So if you want them to give their all, you have to be passionate about your goals too.
The best leaders are the ones who drive their team forward with passion and motivation. This is the reason why they invest time and effort in their people — it helps them determine their priorities and strengths.
24. Internally motivated: another one of the underrated characteristics of a great leader
It is not enough to keep your team motivated at all times. You must also be internally motivated to achieve your personal goals, so you can lead by example.
By having strong internal motivation, you will be able to inspire your team, and it will push you to work and move forward.
Sadly, gaining motivation doesn’t happen overnight. But you can be self-motivated by changing your lifestyle and habits as well as finding your purpose. If you are not feeling motivated, you must get up, go to work, and work anyway. Soon after, you will build the momentum that will help you progress faster than you can ever think of.
25. Trustworthiness
Teams work and collaborate better when they are founded with trust. On the other hand, having no trust makes people feel threatened, so they are afraid to speak out and act on innovative ideas. Truly, its effects on performance are quick and negative.
But if you create a safe space that provides a sense of belonging to your team, you allow only the best outcomes in the future. Rather than blaming and humiliating them, make sure to solve the problems together.
26. Agile
When talking about sports, agility means being able to move quickly and with flexibility. I believe that it goes the same for the leadership characteristics.
One of the characteristics of a great leader is the ability to put their fingers to the pulse of their market. Additionally, they can direct their team to shift courses whenever possible. Since it is the nature of a business to constantly change, being able to make these changes will make-or-break the success of your company.
Final Thoughts on the Characteristics of a Great Leader
Each of these qualities is absolutely essential to great leadership. If you want to follow the path of the best leaders, you have to practice these with conviction and motivation. Without these qualities, your leadership won’t live up to its full potential. Therefore, you have to do your best to develop these necessary traits to achieve your dream of being an influential and great leader.
Don’t worry if there are more than a few leadership abilities on this list that you have to work on. Just do your best to focus on one skill at a time. Soon enough, you’ll be leading your team towards the vision you only used to imagine.
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