Leadership Qualities: How to Develop Good Leadership Traits

Individual business leaders, entrepreneurs, politicians, military commanders, teachers, and other leaders of all stripes may each define leadership differently. But the big picture remains the same across the board: Leadership is inspiring other people to action in the pursuit of a common goal. Regardless of your specific leadership position, you’ll engage in this core mission as a leader in your professional community.

To lead effectively, you must embody leadership skills as if they were second nature. Here are ten ways to work on building important leadership qualities:

1. 1. Build trust. Strong leaders earn and keep the trust of those they lead. Building trust is something that’s hard to gain and easy to lose, but once your team trusts you, it can be transformational to your organization as a whole. Keep your promises, honor your commitments, and exhibit wisdom.
2. 2. Check your biases. We all have preconceived notions about what the right decision is in any given situation. A true leader recognizes this and objectively weighs alternative opinions to come to the best decision—not just the one that occurred to them first. Effective leadership means checking any biases at the door.
3. 3. Cultivate a positive attitude. Effective leaders must maintain a good headspace and positive attitude, no matter the circumstances. There are ups and downs for any organization—it’s a sign of good leadership to help people keep calm and carry on no matter how upbeat or gloomy the outlook is on any given day.
4. 4. Develop self-confidence. A good leader has enough self-awareness to see where they can improve in their personal development and enough self-confidence to know they’ll be able to improve. There are different styles of leadership, but all leaders should be confident. Successful leaders take intelligent risks, and in order to take risks, you need to be sure of yourself.
5. 5. Encourage common goals. Establishing clear goals for your entire team is a sign of strong leadership. Organizational goals lead to a greater sense of functionality, teamwork, and unity for a large group of people. Being the person to spearhead and facilitate these goals helps your team build confidence in you.
6. 6. Exhibit competency. Great leaders exhibit a great deal of competency in their fields. In both hard and soft skills, they need to show their team members they know what they’re doing. Prove you can follow through on all the same things you’re asking your team to do—this will earn their trust and respect.
7. 7. Hone communication skills. Building effective communication skills helps you relate to your team and convey your vision for the organization as a whole. If you don’t know how to communicate effectively, you won’t be able to win people over to pursue common goals. As a result, good communication skills are essential leadership attributes.
8. 8. Know when to delegate. True leaders know when their plate is too full or when they’re not the best person for a specific task. Delegating initiatives to others is essential to leadership. This shows you’re adept at project management and ensures your team members will also feel a sense of empowerment. The best work environments are those in which everyone can operate from a sense of power and purpose.
9. 9. Practice empathy. Developing both an empathetic attitude and emotional intelligence overall will help you relate to your team on a personal level. Understanding other people’s stresses and successes, triumphs, and tragedies is a great leadership trait.
10. 10. Solve problems creatively. Problem-solving and decision-making are important elements of any leader’s job description. You’re the final say on any given initiative, dispute, and so on. To be a better leader, be ready to solve problems creatively, empathetically, and routinely.

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