Characteristics Of A Leader

"Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile." - Vince Lombardi.

A leader when chosen is expected to accomplish all the tasks and duties as stated and anticipated. He is a hope who can bring about change and improve the field to which he belongs, for the betterment of the entire organization. However, becoming a good leader is not easy for a person. He must possess different characteristics to help him show others the way to success. While most of the characteristics are acquired through learning, training, development and experience, some people are born with them. Whether the characteristics are natural or developed, a great leader will always work upon the best of these traits to achieve excellence. Given here are some leadership traits and characteristics that define a leader in today’s world.

 

 

To be a great leader, one must have a vision to take his team and society further. A leader should be a visionary, who has set his goals and knows how to achieve them. A team of efficient members is ineffective if it does not have an envisioned leader.

 

While having a set vision is quintessential, accomplishing it with confidence is equally important. A good leader must have confidence and be able to fulfill the set targets. Without confidence, a leader would not be able to take proper decisions to lead his group.

 

Thanks to the stiff economic competition faced by businessmen and professionals alike, a leader, in the present times, should be in a position to think quickly and make the most of a given situation. Markets, opportunities and challenges change unpredictably and hence, quick action is essential for a great leader.

 

Quick thinking will not be appropriate if a leader does not have the right knowledge. It so happens that prompt decisions without knowledge turn out to be erroneous for the future of the organization. Hence, being aware of all the developments taking place and having a proper knowledge of the field in which a person is working is essential for becoming a successful leader.

 

Without communicating the plan of action to the team members, a leader’s plan is useless. Thus, for communicating, possessing good communication skills is important. Additionally, a leader should be able to motivate people around him effectively, which can be done through good communication only.

 

A leader is one who leads a team of individuals and looks after more than one area. Thus, a leader has to be disciplined in order to handle all such situations patiently. He should know what to do and plan out an organized approach to accomplish the tasks.

 

A leader must be courageous enough to take risks as every opportunity comes along with some amount of risk. A frightened and apprehensive leader takes the team no where. 

 

The qualities of a leader make him stand apart from the rest. Hence, a leader must be approachable for his people. This will make communication between a leader and his team better, allowing the leader to know about the problems faced by his people. This would also pave the way for the team members to chip in valuable suggestions.

 

A leader should not start leading his team in an autocratic style. Enough democracy should be permitted to allow people to think freely and come up with new and innovative ideas. This increases the chances of a team being successful tremendously.

 

To motivate his people, a leader should first set an example through his character. Thus, having a good moral character is one of the most important qualities of a great leader.