Benefits of effective leadership in the workplace
Displaying strong leadership skills in the workplace offers many benefits. Maintaining an effective leadership role in which you support and direct your team members helps ensure a positive business culture and comfortable work atmosphere. Effective leadership can also contribute to increased revenue for your business, as a well-run business in which everyone is on the same page leads to increased productivity.
Leadership qualities list
Whether you’re cultivating your leadership skills or hiring new managers, learning about what qualities make a good leader is essential. Here is a top 20 list of qualities of a good leader:
1. Hardworking
Being a hard worker is an important leadership quality, but it doesn’t mean taking on as much work as possible. A good leader uses time effectively and efficiently while also remaining adaptable enough to re-prioritize and tackle issues as they arise without losing sight of the bigger picture.
2. Open-minded
Leaders should be ready and willing to listen to new ideas and implement novel processes and procedures to improve workflow and performance. Great leaders consider other people’s ideas. Collaboration gives way to discussion and refinement of ideas, so keeping an open mind is essential for effective teamwork.
3. Empathetic
All leadership roles require regular interaction with others, from clients to employees. Showing empathy is one of the most essential leadership traits in any public-facing role, but it’s also vital for managers for whom customer service or sales isn’t a priority.
4. Visionary
Leaders should have a clear and achievable vision for the future. Employees work better when they know what they’re working toward. Managers must communicate their vision clearly and effectively so employees can work to achieve them.
5. Confident
As a leader, you set the tone for the workplace. This influences how employees behave and has a tangible effect on how the public perceives your business. A confident manager cultivates a confident team, which is evident to anyone who interacts with them.
Related: Confidence at Work: Why Employers Should Nurture This Soft Skill
6. Honorable
Excellent leaders have a strong moral code they adhere to at all times. Their respect for rules and regulations sets a standard for ethical work from all employees. If workers or customers catch on that a leader says one thing and does another, it’ll be much harder for them to respect or trust that individual.
7. Ethical
Not only should leaders abide by set rules and procedures, but they should admit when they’ve made an error and do what they can to rectify it. Excellent leaders model integrity for their employees consistently and act in the way they expect others to behave.
8. Positive
As role models, leaders should maintain a positive attitude even in the face of hardship. Demonstrating positivity and joy at work motivates employees to do the same and ensures morale in the workplace stays high. People who believe they have the ability to succeed and push through adversity are much more effective at getting a job done.
9. Humble
Despite their responsibilities and position, leaders should strive to remain focused and level-headed and continually demonstrate respect and gratitude to their employees. Strong leaders strive to keep improving and never see themselves as a finished product. From attending leadership training seminars to taking on new and challenging projects with extra responsibilities, there are many ways to maintain humility.
10. Communicative
Leaders should ensure their employees understand why processes and procedures are in place, how to achieve team goals and what the work expectations are. Communication is a two-way street, and listening is just as important as being able to clearly and effectively express yourself. Being a great listener will give you a better overview of your company and prevent you from failing to see burgeoning issues before they become serious problems.
Related: Creating a Communication Plan for Your Business
11. Decisive
While many leaders choose to field suggestions and ideas from their employees when making important team decisions, it is often the leader’s responsibility to make the final decision. Leaders should do so confidently and without demonstrating uncertainty or confusion.
12. Courageous
Sometimes leaders must take risks for the betterment of the team or company. Courage is necessary for risk-taking and inspiring a team to follow your lead. Sometimes you need to take a chance on your instincts and demonstrate resolve to get your teammates onside. Some ways that leaders display courage include taking steps to peacefully resolve conflicts between team members and taking initiative to find opportunities for improvement.
13. Able to delegate
Excellent leaders delegate responsibilities to their employees. Leaders should use the team’s talents and skills to accomplish projects and meet goals. While it’s often tempting for excellent leaders to try and do everything themselves, this isn’t a strategy that delivers results.
14. Accountable
Leaders should take responsibility for their actions, both positive and negative. Everyone makes mistakes occasionally, and leaders are not exempt. They should take accountability for any errors they make and model how to professionally recover from mistakes. In some cases, people in leadership roles may feel uncomfortable asking for help, which can actually be counterproductive in the workplace. Accountable leaders should always be willing to put their pride aside when unsure of something, especially when the end result affects the company’s bottom line.
Related: Improving Accountability in the Workplace
15. Resilient
With risk-taking comes the chance that an action or plan may not be successful. Resilience is key to moving past failure and striving for success. Resilient leaders show their employees that challenge is normal and manageable.
16. Passionate
When someone is passionate about something they care about, it’s infectious. A leader who is passionate about their field of expertise is infinitely more influential than someone who doesn’t care. When you’re passionate about your business, it feels less like work and more like a mission that you’re truly driven to make succeed.
17. Disciplined
Employees are more likely to demonstrate discipline if their leader is focused and dedicated to the company’s common goals. If you’re the sort of manager who takes extended lunch breaks and leaves early all the time, it’ll be harder to command discipline from your team.
18. Motivating
Leaders must build rapport with their team to influence them as needed to meet company or team goals. Employees are more likely to respond positively to influence if they respect and trust their leader. Motivating leaders come up with innovative ways to reward the team for a job well done and encourage them to keep performing at their best no matter what.
Related: 35 Examples of Motivation in the Workplace
19. Loyal
Employees should know that their leader will protect and support them if needed. Leaders must demonstrate loyalty to their company, customers and employees at all times. Managers who complain or speak negatively about team members set a negative tone in the workplace and instill the idea that loyalty isn’t a priority.
20. Consistent
Managers should be consistent in their approach and not favor or show bias toward anyone. They should also be consistent when it comes to work and demonstrate that the procedures and processes in place are there for a reason. Inconsistent leadership leaves too much room for uncertainty and error.
FAQs about leadership qualities
Why is leadership so important?
Leadership ensures important decisions are made by qualified individuals and sets the path for employees to follow. When team members have strong leaders to motivate, inspire and teach them about an organization’s mission, they’re more confident and passionate about their work. What’s more, great leaders ensure that a business’s resources are used in the most efficient and profitable manner and find new ways to move toward its mission.
What is effective leadership?
Effective leadership is the ability to execute a business’s mission while inspiring employees to do the same. Leaders are able to adapt to the company culture and sell it to customers and team members alike. Being a leader involves being able to plan, sell, troubleshoot and manage resources for the greater good of an organization.
How do managers cultivate good leadership skills?
There are a number of ways an individual can cultivate exceptional leadership qualities. Taking pride in your role and searching for value in the company’s mission are the first steps. Always ask for feedback from senior managers and analyze constructive criticism without letting it dent your ego. If you strive to lead by example, work hard and be true to your mission, you’ll eventually see the workforce follow in your footsteps.
What are some signs of bad leadership in business?
Some of the most common signs of bad leadership in business include an overall lack of presence and lack of authority. Leaders who assign heavy workloads to their team members without taking on the same amount of work themselves are often considered ‘not present’, while those who lack authority often have poor decision-making skills and sometimes don’t possess the confidence to make effective decisions in the workplace.
