We are all leaders, all responsible for the success and overall outcome. But, in order to advance your career most effectively, here are some of the top characteristics of leadership that will help you excel.
- Integrity
The importance of integrity should be obvious. Though it may not necessarily be measured in an employee evaluation, integrity is an essential leadership trait for the individual and the organization. It’s especially important for top-level executives who are charting the organization’s course and making countless other significant decisions.
- Ability to Delegate
Delegating is one of the core responsibilities of a leader, but it can be challenging to delegate effectively. The goal isn’t just to free yourself up — it’s also to enable your direct reports to grow, facilitate teamwork, provide autonomy, and lead to better decision-making. The best leaders build trust with employees so they can delegate more effectively. To stay focused on the big picture, a good leader needs others focused on the details. As a manager or team leader, ask yourself how can you activate the powers of those around you?”
Effective leadership is strongly intertwined with being an excellent communicator.
- Communication
Effective leadership, delegation and effective communication are all intertwined. The best leaders are skilled communicators who can communicate in a variety of ways, from transmitting information to inspiring others to coaching direct reports.
Author Roy T. Bennett once said, “the greatest problem with communication is we don’t listen to understand. We listen to reply. When we listen with curiosity, we don’t listen with the intent to reply. We listen for what’s behind the words.”
And because communication spans a wide range of people across roles, geographies, social identities, the quality and effectiveness of a leader’s communication is more important than ever.
- Self-Awareness
Self-awareness and humility are paramount for leadership. The better you understand yourself and recognize your own strengths and weaknesses, the more effective you can be as a leader. Effective leaders delegate material that they know will be more effectively handled by people with skill sets that make up for their weaknesses.
Are you acting in a way that makes it as easy for others to follow? It is also a sign of great courage to be unabashedly self-aware. Many people can easily point out flaws in others, but few turn the spotlight on themselves for the betterment of the organization.
- Gratitude
Being thankful can lead to higher self-esteem, reduced depression and anxiety, and better sleep. Gratitude can even make you a better leader. Yet few people regularly say “thank you” in work settings, even though most people say they’d be willing to work harder for an appreciative boss. The best leaders know how to demonstrate sincere gratitude in the workplace. Gratitude, in turn, is a form of showing respect for others and their contributions to the success of an organization.
