Leaders & Their 10 Best Qualities
Leaders aren’t born but made.
You’ve probably heard of a “born leader,” or someone who seems to have always possessed the qualities of a leader: magnetism, empathy, and modesty. However, a research study on twins has found that only one-third of the variance of leadership qualities is inherited.
Thus, you can gain leadership qualities over time or even improve upon the ones you already have, such as active listening skills, effective communication, and innovation.
Successful Leaders
Great leaders show these qualities daily to maintain their character and to set a standard for others in their lives:
Remain Focused
Through rain or shine, these individuals remain diligent and focused on their goals. If they somehow end up deviating from their goals, they always return to them and exceed their expectations when completing them.
Prioritize Personal Development
People like this see the value in change and try to change themselves for the better. This quality makes them more resilient, flexible, and open to feedback.
Consider Their Words
A quality like this greatly impacts a leader’s personal and professional life. Thus, leaders take effective communication seriously and often use active listening skills, and consider their choice of words and the effect they may have before speaking them.
Support Others
Successful leaders truly care about the people around them. They want their community to thrive and flourish, so they take their time to understand the issues at hand to make better decisions when trying to resolve them.
These people are also sounding boards, mentors, coaches, and support systems to the underprivileged individuals in their society. Leaders wear many hats, and they do so happily.
Foster Creativity
Rob Austin, a Harvard Business professor, and Lee Devin, a theater actor, and playwright said, “Whenever you have no blueprint to tell you in detail what to do, you must work artfully.”
Simply, leaders think outside of the box. When there is no plan, they develop one at a moment’s notice because they’re creatives: they’re ingenious, artful, and use what little they may have to make something great.
They’re Morally Sound
Leaders may not follow the status quo and may not believe in ethics (i.e. rules provided by society), but they believe in themselves and their understanding of what’s right and what’s wrong.
They govern themselves in a way that others recognize their morally sound character and use it as a standard to model their own behavior.
Recognize Unproductive Behaviors
Leaders are not taskmasters. However, they do prioritize productivity, so when they notice a pattern of inefficiency, they stop it immediately to remain on a path of progress.
Work Towards Innovation
Former President, Barack Obama once said, “The future rewards those who press on.”
This is to say that your present actions will have a positive effect on your future. Thus, to create a better world for posterity, leaders take advantage of the present moment to build and create amazing ideas, art, buildings, and more for coming generations.
Overcome Adversity
Leaders do not falter at the sight of pain or tragedy, instead, they learn from it and make themselves better as a result of it.
Take Their Role Seriously
These people do what they do because they take their jobs seriously. They don’t flounder when the time calls for them to act, but rather, they remain prepared for anything and everything that may come their way.