Leadership
The study of leadership focuses on the ability to influence to normal people to commit and perform exceptional things. Every company needs good leaders to execute and communicate the mission, and each group of individuals need clarity and direction to accomplish their tasks. A great leader is someone who can make decisions in times of uncertainty, motivate their employees, take responsibility for their actions, and more. They are crucial in delivering results for an organization, and while not everyone is a natural-born leader, they can certainly become one. An army is only as good as their military commander depicts them to be.
Conquering your Emotions
An effective leader is not a fearless individual, but rather a person who acknowledges that a loss of control is inevitable. The idea of being afraid derives from the anxiety one feels when they have no control in a situation. Therefore, becoming a competent leader is a result of gaining confidence in one's abilities to handle any situation. Should they be unable to meet a challenge, they don’t obsess over their shortcomings, but rather accept the situation and learn from it.
In the business world, managers will constantly be presented with scenarios where they must make decisions quickly and effectively. No matter the situation, the managers who come out on top are those who have developed a deep understanding of their individual behavior and thinking patterns in order to properly logically assess the task at hand. If a person is unable to control their emotions in difficult situations, their judgement can be skewed, resulting in ineffective decision making and poor performance from their team.
In short, a confident leader has developed a thorough understanding of their emotions and learns how to control them to meet the demands of any situation. Should something leave their control, they will take responsibility for what is in their control, learn from the experience, and move forward.
What traits make up an Effective Leader?
Decisiveness is the ability to make a decision and take action on it. Even if the decision may not be the best for a particular situation, a leader understands the drawback of not making one. There will be many scenarios where you will be unclear as to what the correct course of action should be. A decisive leader will gather whatever information is available to make a timely decision. Confidence establishes direction amongst your team members and being decisive will develop their trust and loyalty.
Initiative is acting independently. Somethings need not be spoken and require action to be taken, especially as a leader. Since you’re in control, it is your job to oversee all functions and infrastructure of your team to effectively identify any issues and resolve them. Leading your team towards the overall goal is your duty, and only you can clearly depict the vision to guide them towards the mission, whatever it may be.
A Knowledgeable leader is an effective one. The more an individual knows about their industry, the better they can assist their team with any problems they may have. However, a knowledgeable leader is not just an expert in their profession, but an avid learner of useful topics. They learn topics that complement their profession and improve their overall skills and abilities. The combination of an industry expert and a focus on personal development creates a leader that can effectively motivate and guide their team, in and out of the profession.
Enthusiasm involves having a passion for something. Whatever it may be, an enthusiastic leader generates contagious energy needed to motivate their team members. How would a manager without a drive to fulfill his/her objectives be effective in leading their employees? A positive individual will attract enthusiastic team members and vice versa. Develop a passion for your career and when you find yourself in a leadership position, you will naturally influence others to follow your lead.
Unselfishness in a leader is crucial. While there are leaders out there who are selfish and only serve themselves, they typically don’t last long. Enthusiasm begets selflessness. A team is highly productive when no one is concerned about who takes credit. When the overall goal becomes the only goal for a leader and his/her team, there is no limit to how much effective work can be created. In turn, a leader who focuses on serving others instead of themselves for personal gain will always thrive.
Justice is the ability to be fair and impartial with your team. It’s inevitable that uncomfortable situations make arise. A conflict between employees is a common example. An intelligent leader knows not to play favoritism, regardless of who is involved in the conflict. Even if it’s one of your best employees, the appropriate disciplinary action must be taken if the action merits discipline. Moreover, a punishment adequate for action in judgement must be made, nothing more or less.
Integrity is paramount across the board. No matter the industry, no dishonest individual has made it far in their position. It is the foundation for the lasting relationship between a manager and his employees, because If you’re not leading by example and taking responsibility for your actions, you can never expect your team to follow through with your commands. You might be able to get away with it in the beginning, but eventually your true self will appear. Therefore, you should act as a person of integrity and follow through with your commitments. If you make a promise you can’t keep, own up to your mistakes and your team will respect you. Your word is your bond, plain and simple.
Are the best leaders born or made?
While some people naturally have certain qualities that make them an effective leader, any person can learn to become a true leader. The key is to develop self-awareness to assess what skills and qualities you currently have and which ones you need to work on. A true leader is not one who exemplifies every single quality we’ve listed, but rather an individual who understands their flaws and constantly looks to improve them.
An effective leader is not a fearless individual, but rather a person who acknowledges that a loss of control is inevitable. The idea of being afraid derives from the anxiety one feels when they have no control in a situation. Therefore, becoming a competent leader is a result of gaining confidence in one's abilities to handle any situation. Should they be unable to meet a challenge, they don’t obsess over their shortcomings, but rather accept the situation and learn from it.
In the business world, managers will constantly be presented with scenarios where they must make decisions quickly and effectively. No matter the situation, the managers who come out on top are those who have developed a deep understanding of their individual behavior and thinking patterns in order to properly logically assess the task at hand. If a person is unable to control their emotions in difficult situations, their judgement can be skewed, resulting in ineffective decision making and poor performance from their team.
In short, a confident leader has developed a thorough understanding of their emotions and learns how to control them to meet the demands of any situation. Should something leave their control, they will take responsibility for what is in their control, learn from the experience, and move forward.
What traits make up an Effective Leader?
Decisiveness is the ability to make a decision and take action on it. Even if the decision may not be the best for a particular situation, a leader understands the drawback of not making one. There will be many scenarios where you will be unclear as to what the correct course of action should be. A decisive leader will gather whatever information is available to make a timely decision. Confidence establishes direction amongst your team members and being decisive will develop their trust and loyalty.
Initiative is acting independently. Somethings need not be spoken and require action to be taken, especially as a leader. Since you’re in control, it is your job to oversee all functions and infrastructure of your team to effectively identify any issues and resolve them. Leading your team towards the overall goal is your duty, and only you can clearly depict the vision to guide them towards the mission, whatever it may be.
A Knowledgeable leader is an effective one. The more an individual knows about their industry, the better they can assist their team with any problems they may have. However, a knowledgeable leader is not just an expert in their profession, but an avid learner of useful topics. They learn topics that complement their profession and improve their overall skills and abilities. The combination of an industry expert and a focus on personal development creates a leader that can effectively motivate and guide their team, in and out of the profession.
Enthusiasm involves having a passion for something. Whatever it may be, an enthusiastic leader generates contagious energy needed to motivate their team members. How would a manager without a drive to fulfill his/her objectives be effective in leading their employees? A positive individual will attract enthusiastic team members and vice versa. Develop a passion for your career and when you find yourself in a leadership position, you will naturally influence others to follow your lead.
Unselfishness in a leader is crucial. While there are leaders out there who are selfish and only serve themselves, they typically don’t last long. Enthusiasm begets selflessness. A team is highly productive when no one is concerned about who takes credit. When the overall goal becomes the only goal for a leader and his/her team, there is no limit to how much effective work can be created. In turn, a leader who focuses on serving others instead of themselves for personal gain will always thrive.
Justice is the ability to be fair and impartial with your team. It’s inevitable that uncomfortable situations make arise. A conflict between employees is a common example. An intelligent leader knows not to play favoritism, regardless of who is involved in the conflict. Even if it’s one of your best employees, the appropriate disciplinary action must be taken if the action merits discipline. Moreover, a punishment adequate for action in judgement must be made, nothing more or less.
Integrity is paramount across the board. No matter the industry, no dishonest individual has made it far in their position. It is the foundation for the lasting relationship between a manager and his employees, because If you’re not leading by example and taking responsibility for your actions, you can never expect your team to follow through with your commands. You might be able to get away with it in the beginning, but eventually your true self will appear. Therefore, you should act as a person of integrity and follow through with your commitments. If you make a promise you can’t keep, own up to your mistakes and your team will respect you. Your word is your bond, plain and simple.
Are the best leaders born or made?
While some people naturally have certain qualities that make them an effective leader, any person can learn to become a true leader. The key is to develop self-awareness to assess what skills and qualities you currently have and which ones you need to work on. A true leader is not one who exemplifies every single quality we’ve listed, but rather an individual who understands their flaws and constantly looks to improve them.
