According to statistics, nearly half of employees don’t trust management. This could be a risky situation as employees are the backbone of an organization. There is also the challenge of catering to a generation of millennials who currently form more than half of the labor force. Good leadership will require that you’re courageous and deal with the challenges head-on.
A millennial is likely to change jobs more than four times before they reach the age of 32. This could be as a result of the job conditions. They need to feel empowered in their current jobs, which is something that is lacking with the current crop of leadership. There are some essential qualities that make a great leader and we’re going to highlight some of them here.
Integrity
A great leader will exhibit integrity at all times. It doesn’t matter if they’re giving compliments or facing a problem at work, a good leader will always make sure that they’re doing what is right. When employees see that a leader lacks integrity, it will be almost impossible to recover from such a predicament.
Great Communication
Part of being a good leader involves a lot of listening. You won’t only be communicating instructions but it is also important to get feedback. It is your work as a leader to motivate, discipline, and instruct. It will be hard to discharge such duties when there is no clear communication. Poor communication will also result in a poor outcome which will be to the detriment of the organization.
Loyalty
Loyalty is reciprocal and the best leaders remain true to their word. Loyalty should not only be tangible but also beneficial to the members of the team. As a leader, you need to make sure that all members are properly equipped to do their job. You also need to stand up with your team in times of trouble and crisis. An employee who believes the leader is loyal is more likely to reciprocate when it matters most.
Decisiveness
There is more to making decisions because of a leadership role. A great leader will be willing to take the risk of decision making. They accept responsibility for their actions and will not start to point fingers when something doesn’t go according to plan. A leader who isn’t decisive when it matters is not likely to be effective when dispensing their duty.
Managerial Competence
Being good at a job doesn’t necessarily make you a good leader. This is a mistake that a lot of organizations make. A good leader should also be a good manager. This means they have a thorough understanding of the company’s products and processes. A good example is football. The most successful players don’t end up making good coaches.
Empowerment
Great leaders are visionaries and have the faith that they train and develop the team working under them. They have the capacity to lead from the front and that is by inspiring those that they lead. An empowered workforce is more likely to be productive and will be making decisions that are in the best interest of the organization.
Sincere Enthusiasm
A leader might be enthusiastic but it might not be coming from the heart. It will be hard to keep up such fake enthusiasm because there will always be challenges in any leadership setting. It will be hard to fake true enthusiasm when you’re not interested in the business. When a leader is genuinely enthusiastic, there is likely to be a trickle-down effect. A leader is able to identify existing problems not only in the business but the industry at large.
Accountable
A great leader will not only be accountable for the team successes but the failures as well. A good leader will take more blame for the failures than the successes. He or she will be responsible for their actions.
Empathy
Empathy is the ability to understand what others are going through. It involves a lot more than being nice to your team members. Being empathetic will lead to better decision making. You also improve strategies which will be for the betterment of the organization.
Humility
It will be tempting to be big-headed because of a new title. A great leader understands that being humble is crucial to their success. They will focus more on team dynamics and problem-solving rather than the promotion. Humility makes us real, while pride will have the opposite effect. Humble leaders are more resilient in the face of challenges compared to those that are boastful of their achievement. To become a great leader, you can click here for more information.
