Qualities of a good leader
The qualities of a good leader are as numerous just as the challenges of a leader. It is not uncommon for us to recognize the faults in people who are at the helms of affairs and pronounce them unfit to lead. Our society is excellent at cancelling people out of leadership positions because they do not possess certain qualities that we think leaders should have.
Are the qualities of a good leader acquired or in-born? Is it possible to lose these qualities if a leader has them to begin with? Must a good leader have all these good qualities before they can be considered for a leadership role?
From this article, you should be able to draw your conclusion.
How Important is Leadership?
We all know who leaders are, they are individuals that take charge of a course and stick with that mandate to see its fulfillment until that time when they are unfit – constitutionally, mentally, or physically – to continue in that capacity.
The leaders are the reason why we have personnel structure in every organization. There are leaders who oversee the affairs and functionality of every part of an organization and there are those who are saddled with the responsibility of overseeing certain units and departments in the same organization. Regardless of the size of the unit, department, or organization, the qualities of a good leader should be seen in individuals before they are made leaders.
Qualities of a Good Leader
The qualities of a good leader are not far-fetched, they are characteristics that we see every day in our places of work, among our friends, and even in the most unusual places like motor parks. Here are some of the qualities of a good leader.
Integrity;
One of the foremost qualities of a good leader. No one wants to dedicate their life, time, and resources to a course that has a leader that cannot be trusted. A leader with integrity commands dedication from his/her followers. They are sure of his intention and know he will do what he says.
Communication:
Communication stands as the principal pole for maintaining a good relationship. Leadership is nothing when there are no followers. Many leaders feel all they need to do to earn the respect of their followers is to design a plan, and enforce the actualization of that plan.
In truth, that method worked in times past but not anymore. You, as a leader, have to sit with your followers to brainstorm and come up with ideas that will help your organization reach its objective. This sit-around-the-table discussion cannot be achieved if the leader is unable to communicate effectively with the followers.
Influence:
People with influence have the ability to affect the decision-making of other people. They can make a skeptical individual decide on a course of action and stand by that decision. Influence is one major quality of a good leader because of followers who may be Luke-warm when taking an action. It is the leader’s responsibility to influence their thought and action to align with their common goal. A leader needs charisma to be able to influence his followers and earn their trust
Courage:
It is not easy to embark on a project that is enormous and achieve it. Courage is one of the qualities of a good leader. A leader lacking courage cannot influence his followers when he lacks courage himself.
Empathy:
To put oneself in other people’s shoes and mirror how they feel is one important quality of a good leader. It helps the followers know that they have someone who understands how they feel and can represent them effectively. It also builds a sense of indebtedness from the followers to the leaders when the leader recognizes the need of his followers and acts to meet them.
Direction:
A leader provide directions to his followers. He is expected to lead by example and he is most time the go-to-person
