Become the Leader Your Team Needs
What distinguishes great leaders from merely good ones? Though leadership styles differ broadly between sectors and individuals, some key qualities repeatedly surface as the hallmark of the best leaders. They’re not abstractions – they’re tangible abilities that can be learned and honed through experience.
Whether you’re stepping into your first leadership role or looking to strengthen your existing style of leadership, knowledge of these key traits will allow you to build better teams and realize better performance.
Clear Communication: The Foundation of Leadership
Effective leaders understand that their vision is only as powerful as their ability to communicate it. Communication is much more than speaking – it’s establishing understanding, creating connection, and stimulating action.
Great leaders are also both verbal and nonverbal masters of communication. They speak clearly and concisely, avoiding jargon that might confuse their listeners. Yet they recognize that body language, tone, and even timing can be a vast determinant in the way their message will be interpreted.
The best communicators are good listeners too. They create space for others to share ideas, question, and raise concerns. This two-way process creates trust and enables key information to flow easily throughout the organization.
Good communication skills are invaluable when providing feedback, resolving conflicts, or having difficult conversations. Leaders who can express their thinking respectfully but be open to differing perspectives establish cultures where cooperation thrives.
Empathy: Understanding What Drives People
Empathy is a “soft” skill, but it’s one of the most valuable resources a leader can possess. Understanding what people are experiencing, why they behave as they do, and what they’re up against allows leaders to make better choices and have improved relationships.
Empathetic leaders understand that each person brings unique strengths, challenges, and work habits to the team. They are willing to invest time learning what drives each individual and being flexible in their own style as a consequence. It is not about being a pushover – it is about being thoughtful about how to coax the best out of each person.
When leaders express genuine interest in the happiness and career growth of their team, they earn loyalty and trust no hierarchy can create nearly as effectively. The emotional connection that results tends to translate into more commitment, better performance, and less turnover.
Integrity: Doing What’s Right, Even When It’s Hard
Leadership without integrity is nothing but coercion management, and that plan rarely creates lasting success. Those who are true leaders understand that their actions and choices must reflect stated values, especially when they are not watched.
Integrity is evidenced by congruent behavior, honest communication, and ethical decision-making. As leaders maintain high standards for themselves, expectations for the entire organization are heightened automatically. The individuals feel more secure knowing their leader will not compromise cherished principles in order to achieve an expeditious advantage.
This is not to say leaders with integrity are never wrong – neither are we. But if they do err, they admit it, take responsibility, and try to make it right. Honesty here actually builds trust, not kills it.
Problem-Solving: Turning Challenges Into Opportunities
All organizations face difficulties, yet effective leaders view difficulties as sources of innovation and progress. They approach difficulties with questions rather than panic, asking “How do we resolve this?” as opposed to “Why is this occurring to us?”
Effective problem-solving is a combination of analysis and creative thinking. Leaders must be able to locate applicable information, compare a variety of perspectives, and make objective judgments about probable solutions. Yet they must also possess the ability to think outside the box when standard solutions do not apply.
The best problem-solving leaders involve their people. They recognize that diverse views oftentimes produce better solutions and that team members closest to the issue can provide well-informed contributions that may not be immediately obvious at a leadership level.
Team Commitment: Leading by Example
Deeds speak louder than words, and nowhere is this more so than in leadership. The team members watch closely the degree of effort and dedication their leaders demonstrate, and they seek to follow what they see.
Committed leaders show up for meetings regularly, follow through on commitments, and take an interest in the success of their team. They actively participate in meetings, stay abreast of project progress, and remain accessible when team members need help or guidance.
This commitment also includes taking a stand for the team when the time is right – whether that’s fighting for access to resources, taking down obstacles, or holding their ground with higher-ups. When the team understands their leader is standing up for them, they’re much more likely to do the same reciprocally.
Calculated Risk-Taking: Moving Forward Despite Uncertainty
Taking it easy can be nice, but it will never lead to revolutionary success. Effective leaders realize that there has to be risk involved for the sake of growth and innovation. The secret is to know how to take smart risks, not dumb bets.
This means taking a thoughtful consideration of potential outcomes, best case and worst case, and having an insurance plan. Risk-taking leaders don’t act without thinking they gather information, seek input from others, and make a data-driven decision on information that is available.
When risks fail to pay out, sound leaders view the experience as one to learn from, not as a failure. They observe what didn’t work, sharpen their approach, and apply those lessons in making decisions in the future. This resilience and capacity to learn often yield dividends that compensate for the very pay-out of any single risk.
Building Your Leadership Foundation
These are not natural abilities that some possess and others don’t – they are abilities that can be cultivated by repeated practice and deliberate effort. The best strategy is to concentrate on one or two areas at a time instead of attempting everything at once.
Begin by realistically evaluating your current strengths and areas for development. Ask colleagues, mentors, and team members for their input to gain an objective view of how others perceive your leadership style. Then make concrete, step-by-step plans for improving the qualities that will most make a difference for your success.
Remember that effective leadership is not perfection – it’s about continuously seeking to better serve your team and company. The most effective leaders are the ones who remain committed to their own growth, knowing that leadership is a journey but not a destination.