In one of our past written articles, we discussed 10 Characteristics of a Great Leader. Today we wanted to focus on the Competencies that Make a Great Leader. Great leaders share many common traits. Though criteria for leadership can vary from company and organization, the majority of effective leaders exemplify certain skills.
Remember, title or position is not what makes you an effective leader. It may give you some authority to approve or make decisions, but it takes the right skills to lead people. By focusing on developing these same skills, you can take your leadership abilities to the next level.
Develop the important traits necessary to become a great leader:
1. Self-motivated. As a leader, it’s important to be able to motivate yourself to take action to move forward toward your goals – whether they’re personal or team goals. Leaders are driven to get things done and they lead their team to do the same. But do not be the person who just gets it done without considering all the factors. Get it done but do it right. Done and right is two different things, and both should be accomplished equally. You will spend less time cleaning up rushed mistakes.
2. The ability to delegate. You can’t do it all yourself. The most effective leaders surround themselves with skilled people, define their responsibilities, and then get out of the way. A single person is quite limited, but many hands can get a lot done. Learn how to share your workload. Remember, the Lone Ranger was not alone he still had Tonto. Batman had Robin and so on. Work is more enjoyable when you are with someone on the journey.
3. Communicate effectively. You might have a clear picture in your mind of what you’d like to see happen. Unfortunately, no one can read your mind. A leader is responsible for sharing his vision and making his desires known. This is by far one of the biggest frustrations I hear from workers. An old saying is that “Things were as clear as mud”, take the time to “clearly” communicate and to receive feedback.
People can give you what you want when you can communicate clearly what needs to be done.
Provide status updates and keep everyone on the same page. Employees lose motivation when they don’t understand the current situation fully.
4. Develop others. Being a leader isn’t just about utilizing others to reach your goals. People want to feel valued as a person not just their performance. Leadership is about developing those around you. From a more selfish perspective, the more skilled your employees are, the more they can assist you and the company.
Share your expertise and help everyone around you to grow.
Help your workers and volunteers develop a growth plan. Coaches can be a great resource to help you create a plan.
5. Be committed. You can’t expect greater commitment than you’re willing to provide. A leader sets the ceiling. Everyone else settles in somewhere below that point. Set the ceiling high and show them what true commitment looks like. But be realistic. If you are a work-a-holic and a driver you have to find what is an acceptable level.
6. Inspire others. A great leader knows how to inspire others to do their best work. It’s not always easy to inspire those content to simply show up each day and collect a paycheck, but it’s possible. Show your motivation and commitment.
Even if you’re only able to inspire a few people to do their best, it will make a positive difference. Before long it can become contagious.
Find one thing each day that someone is doing well with whom you want to inspire and motivate, and praise them for it. It will add up quickly and be noted.
7. Have a clear focus. If you don’t know what you want, you won’t get it. Leaders are clear on their vision and readily share it with others. A clear vision serves as a roadmap. Employees can easily ask themselves if their actions are contributing to the attainment of your vision. Know your focus and communicate it effectively.
8. Show respect. Strive to treat everyone fairly and avoid playing favorites. Everyone is worthy of a basic level of respect. Ensure that you’re giving it. If you are entering a new position be careful of downplaying the former leader. Whether you, the company/organization or workers liked or disliked the previous leader. Not hearing or giving negative commentary coming from you is a sign of good character and our next trait.
9. Confidence. It’s natural to be drawn to others with confidence. You are viewed as more capable and trustworthy when your confidence level is high. Be comfortable with your skills and your plan.
A lack of self-confidence will limit the ability of others to trust your vision and judgment. Over time this can lead to a blame game mentality which erodes your leadership.
10. Decisiveness. Leaders make tough decisions fearlessly and take responsibility for the outcome. It’s easy to make quick decisions when you’re clear on your values and those of the company. If you can’t make up your mind, your leadership skills will be called into question. The key here is your values.
Practice by making small decisions quickly and following through on them. It gets easier with practice. You’ll be surprised by how much more you accomplish when you’re able to make a clear decision.
Leaders are necessary for any organization. Great leaders share common competencies that you can develop in yourself. Even if you don’t feel you currently possess these qualities, you can grow your capacity to be an effective leader.
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