Elphill Technology Blog
Leadership can be defined as the ability to get others to follow you willingly. Every organization needs leaders at all levels. Leaders can be found and nurtured if you look below the character traits.
A leader with vision has a clear and vivid picture of where to go, and a firm understanding of what success looks like and how. But not enough to have a vision, leaders must also share and act accordingly. Jack Welch, former chairman and CEO of General Electric Co., said: “Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passion of the vision and relentlessly drive it to completion.”
A leader must be able to communicate his vision in terms that cause followers to buy into it. He or she must communicate clearly and passionately, as passion is contagious.
A good leader must have the discipline to work for his vision and one purpose, and to direct their actions and the team towards the goal. Action is the mark of a leader. A leader does not suffer “analysis paralysis” but is always doing something towards the vision, inspire others to do the same.
Integrity is the integration of outward actions and inner values. A person of integrity is the same on the outside and inside. Such an individual can be trusted, because he or she never deviates from the inner values, even though it might be faster to do it. A leader must have the trust of followers and therefore must display integrity.
Honesty in transactions, predictable reactions, well-controlled emotions, and the absence of tantrums and harsh outbursts are all signs of integrity. A leader who focuses on integrity will be more accessible for the fans.
Dedication means spending what time or energy is needed to perform the task at hand. A leader inspires dedication by example, doing whatever it takes to complete the next step towards the vision. By setting an excellent example, leaders can show followers that there are no jobs nine to five on the team, only opportunities to achieve something big.
Magnanimity is give credit where credit is due. A magnanimous leader ensures that credit for successes is spread as widely as possible throughout the company. On the contrary, a good leader takes personal responsibility for failures. This type of reverse magnanimity helps other people feel good about themselves and draws the team closer. To spread the fame and the blame is a hallmark of effective leadership.
Leaders with humility recognize that they are better or worse than other team members. A humble leader is not humble but tries to elevate everyone. Leaders with humility also understand that their situation does not make them a god. Mahatma Gandhi is an example for indigenous leaders and has followed a “follower-centered” leadership role.
Openness means being able to hear new ideas, even if they do not fit the usual way of thinking. Good leaders are able to suspend the trial while listening to others’ ideas and accept new ways of doing things that someone else thought. Openness fosters mutual respect and trust between leaders and followers, and it also keeps the team well stocked with new ideas that can further its vision.
Creativity is the ability to think differently, to get out of the box that limits the solutions. Creativity gives leaders the ability to see things that others have not seen and therefore followers lead in new directions. The most important question that a leader can ask is, “What if …?” Possibly the worst thing a leader can say is: “I know this is a silly question …”
Fairness means dealing with others consistently and justly. A leader must check all the facts and listen to everyone before judging. He or she should avoid jumping to conclusions based on incomplete evidence. When people feel they are being treated fairly, they reward a leader with loyalty and dedication.
Assertiveness is not the same as aggressiveness. On the contrary, is the ability to articulate what you expect, so there are no misunderstandings. A leader must be assertive to get the desired results. Along with assertiveness comes the responsibility to clearly understand what followers expect from their leader.
Many leaders have difficulty striking the right amount of assertiveness, according to a study in February 2007 issue of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, published by the APA (American Psychological Association). It seems that over assertive under assertive or may be the most common weakness among aspiring leaders.
Sense of humor is vital to relieve tension and boredom, and to calm the hostility. Effective leaders know how to use humor to energize followers. Humor is a form of energy that provides some control over the workplace. In short, humor fosters good camaraderie.
Intrinsic characteristics such as intelligence, beauty, height and they are not required to become a leader. Anyone can cultivate the traits of good leadership.
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