Leadership is more about who someone is than what they do. The more a person incorporates the essence of leadership internally, the more effective they are as a leader on the outside. More than 3,000 studies on leadership traits have been conducted over the years, and seven key qualities have been identified. The good news is these qualities can be learned.
Quality #1: Vision - Leaders have a clear picture of where they want to go and how to get there, and are able to articulate that vision to others. They have strong beliefs and values which they are unwilling to compromise, and combine these with goal-oriented, measurable action.
Quality #2: Courage - Leaders are willing to take risks in order to innovate and to maintain the “continuous offensive” toward the company’s stated goals, even if there is no guarantee of success. However, smart leaders gather as much information as possible to reduce the element of risk before making a decision. They also practice “courageous patience,” or the ability to stay the course even when things are not going well, and exhibit the ability to remain calm during a crisis.
Quality #3: Integrity - Integrity is most often cited by executives as the key leadership quality, and forms the foundation on which all other leadership traits are based. It requires dealing with every situation or challenge based upon the facts or the reality rather than upon assumptions, and accepting responsibility when things go wrong, and then focusing on solving the problem.
Quality #4: Humility - Leaders must take the blame when mistakes are made, and offer congratulations to others for success. Humility does not imply weakness, but reflects the self-confidence to listen and learn from others and a willingness to surround oneself with those who possess strengths or skills which one lacks.
Quality #5: Foresight - Leaders are tasked with thinking about the future. They need to be strategic thinkers, able to anticipate possible pitfalls and market trends. They may use scenario planning to help anticipate future crises and opportunities, creating detailed scenarios of the company and the business environment five, ten or twenty years down the road based on information about the company’s products, customers, competitors, and business regulations and laws.
Quality #6: Ability to Focus Energies and Resources in the Most Important Areas - Leaders must harness the limited resources of time, money and people, making sure they are used efficiently and effectively where they will have the most impact.
Quality #7: Cooperation and Ability to Work Well with Others - Leaders must be able to encourage everyone to work together for an organization’s success. This requires continually practicing cooperation and getting along with everyone in their daily lives.
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