Personality Traits of a Great Leader

With great power come great responsibilities. Being a leader is all about taking risks, making hard decisions, and if they don't go well, taking responsibility for them. Stepping up and taking ownership of a decision, (especially a bad one) is a great way to assert authority and showcase integrity. And, it doesn't stop there. After accepting their fault, good leaders work towards a solution and move forward. This action also leads to improved accountability among employees. Bad leaders though, blame team members ending up with a team, which is afraid to accept responsibilities, due to fear of failure.

Nurture Those Around You

Good leaders are those who possess great skills, but great leaders are those who help others develop their skills. It is imperative for those who lead, to recognise the talent around them and nurture them, and help them in achieving their full potential. This leads to increased productivity in the workplace and can bring about new skills, which can be beneficial to your organisation. Providing employees the opportunity to grow, arming them with own knowledge and insights as well as giving a word of encouragement is how great leaders earn respect and loyalty of others.

Yes, leaders possess a good sense of humour too. It is one attribute that is sure to enamour you to your colleagues and employees. Everyone likes a good laugh, and guess what? It comes in handy in tight situations as well. As a leader, you will, without doubt, encounter situations that spell doom. Your employees keenly observe how you react to this. If you display nervousness and stress in front of them, they will get demotivated, leading to a loss in productivity. To prevent this from happening, ensure that you establish a light-hearted atmosphere in the office by taking the lead yourself.

Be Confident

Being confident is often misunderstood. There exists a fine balance between confidence and arrogance. As a leader, you want to be viewed as confident. Confidence is something that rubs off on people, including your employees. Your plans will not always go exactly the way you want them to. There are times when you will be tested and tried. It is important for you to not lose your cool and portray an image of calm and composure. Your team and organisation will be sure to appreciate it.

Be Positive

Being positive in testing times is a quality that is valued above all else, and all great leaders have it in spades. It is easy to stay happy and positive when everything is going according to plan. The real test arrives when things get tough and plans start to crumble. Staying positive and upbeat during difficult times is what distinguishes the professionals from the amateurs.

Every leader is unique and possesses a different skill set. The skills that work for one may not work for the other. However, the above-mentioned skills are fundamental skills that must be possessed by every great leader. Leaders must adopt these skills both at work and at home.