Being a great leader encompasses many traits and qualities. Not every leader will possess the same skill set and many environments will require distinctive styles of leadership. We may believe leaders are born with these skills but many of them can be taught with bespoke training and development. Leadership skills are also developed and moulded over time, as we learn from our experiences.
Communication
Effective leaders are brilliant communicators. They will think clearly and be able to express their ideas and share information to a variety of audiences. They will be open and transparent in their thinking. Being able to communicate well also means they will delegate tasks effectively, with simple, actionable and specific instructions.
Great leaders are also good listeners and will practise active listening. This promotes trust, openness and honesty within teams. This may mean having an open-door policy, 360-degree feedback and regular one-to-one meetings with their team members.
Vision and focus
Good leaders are strategic in their thinking and as well as making any business a success in the short-term, they have a clear, long-term goals for the future. They will be able to view situations with clarity and focus, so they can find sustainable and effective solutions. Having this focus allows them to not only achieve their own goals but help teams of people succeed as well.
Confidence and positivity
Successful leaders have confidence and trust in their own ability to lead and fulfil a role. Where others might shy away from a task, they tackle it with optimism and drive. These feelings are contagious and positive leaders set the tone within organisations and teams of people. As well as being confident in their own abilities, leaders are also confident in the potential of their team members and will always defer to someone else on their team if they do not have the right answers. The Dare to Lead workshop will teach you to be more confident in yourself and leave with a greater sense of self-worth – allowing you to be a better leader.
Integrity
The motto that “honesty is the best policy” is one that many leaders uphold because it earns respect and generates trust. This integrity ensures leaders always adhere to a code of values and ethics and try to behave honourably. This inspires confidence and happiness within teams. Leaders show integrity in many ones; some of these include keeping commitments, communicating with honesty and acknowledging mistakes. Through good leadership, managers will create cultures that value integrity and respect.
Decisiveness
We all make hundreds of decisions every day, but leaders will be called upon to make some of the hardest ones. The ability to be decisive is crucial, especially when under pressure. The rapid pace of business and time pressures mean that the best leaders make tough and well-informed decisions with speed and conviction. The best leaders also enjoy making decisions rather than shying away from them or feeling stressed under pressure.
Innovative
Innovation is essential for business success both now and in the future. Great leaders will be creative and innovative in their thinking will recognise others’ promising ideas. Innovative leaders generate passion and enthusiasm and inspire their staff. They also recognise that the best ideas to solve problems and create new concepts are never comprised of a single idea but are the result of many ideas generated by lots of people.
