Good leadership is the action and purpose of a leader. It doesn’t have anything to do with titles, seniority, management or one’s position in an organization. True leaders come in many forms and historically have been found all over the world. Good leaders possess a set of skills and talent that allow them to motivate people to achieve goals and develop their careers to levels otherwise thought unattainable.
What Are Good Leadership Skills?
- Vision – Good leaders are visionaries. They set strategic goals for their organization and implement a path forward to achieve them. They take calculated risk and stand by their decisions. They look at the big picture and see beyond the obstacles ahead to a bright future. This vision is translated to their teams and its members, which manifest within them, making them highly motivated to obtain and achieve goals that often seem unattainable.
- Inspiration – Good leadership sets the tone for leaders to inspire their team members by setting good examples for them to follow. Their optimism shines through their skin, even through tough times so that others are able to see this and feel optimistic themselves. When a leader inspires the workforce, they tap into the emotions of their employees. They are driven to create tremendous value even when the odds are against them.
- Charismatic – This is usually a skill that can’t be thought, and good leaders are born with this trait. Leaders possess a certain charisma that makes other people admire them and want to be like them. It makes them approachable and people feel open to discuss their inner thoughts and feelings with them. Good Leadership allows openness and inclusivity allowing subordinates to adopt the vision of their leader.
- Passionate – Passion, is the fuel that drives leaders. When others see how passionate leaders about whatever they are doing others automatically want to follow in their footsteps and help with the cause.
- Communication – Communication skills are essential for good leadership. When others speak they listen and decipher every sentence like an algorithm scanning lines of code, but when a leader speaks their vision into existence it motivates the audience.
- Courage – Confidence is an essential ability of an extraordinary leader. When they make decisions, their subordinates follow them because they can see the confidence oozing out of their leaders. They themselves begin to feel confident in what they are doing.
- Empowerment – Effective leaders empower their teams. They delegate task efficiently and effectively. Leaders educate, train and develop their work force from within and equip them with the tools necessary to succeed at their respective responsibilities. Good leadership isn’t about dictating or controlling their employees; it’s about providing their employees with a road map to success and allowing them to figure out the best path to achieving it.
- Creative – Innovation and creativity are skills that are not usually seen as tangible but are vital for good leadership. These abilities are what separate leaders and their teams from their competition. They allow, themselves to dream and they place great value on their imagination and most importantly they encourage others to exercise their imagination and dream big also.
- Integrity – Abraham Lincoln once said, “I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true.” It is this truth that separates true leaders from the fakes. Integrity is an integral characteristic of a great leader. Good leadership comes off as having a high degree of integrity by their subordinates; their subordinates feel a sense of trust in them. This trust is a key factor in the performance of the individual because it allows them to feel a sense of being and on a mission to achieve not only their personal goals but also the goals of the organization.
- Loyalty – Loyalty fosters into good leadership. Leaders transmit loyalty onto their team members, which is reciprocated back onto them. Their team members feel a sense of commitment on behalf of their leaders, which motivates and empowers them to go beyond their average responsibilities.
Examples Of Good Leaders
- Julio Martinez – Founder of Training Gems. Mr. Martinez is a 20-year veteran in leadership and Operations Management. Julio specializes in helping employees within the food manufacturing and packaging industry to fulfill their true potential and achieve their career goals. He believes that everyone has the potential to be promoted regardless of his or her current role in an organization whether it is entry-level, supervisory or managerial. Julio has worked and built operational lines with over 45 businesses through his personalized business plan including Fortune 100 companies, union and non-union businesses. He exhibits extraordinary leadership skills and is an advocate for good leadership qualities.
- Steve Jobs – Founder and former CEO of Apple INC and Pixar. Steve Job is seen as an icon and astounding leader in the field of technology since the inception of Apple INC. He is known for his disruptive ideas and a leadership style like no other. He truly adopted the visionary aspects of good leadership and his aura influenced and inspired other even his competitors. He was very passionate about his endeavors, as he dreamt and brought to existence creative ideas, which seemed way beyond the scope of the average human being. Jobs empowered his staff and allowed them to contribute to the company’s philosophy and today Apple INC is a leader in technology and is poised to become the first ever Trillion-dollar company the world has ever seen.
- Nelson Mandela – Nelson Mandela was a South African revolutionary, political leader and philanthropist who fought for the termination of apartheid that created a divide between blacks and whites in South Africa. Nelson Mandela was also the President of South Africa between the years of 1994-1999 but served 27 years in prison before becoming President. Mandela fought for equality and justice for all. He was extremely charismatic. His charisma, vision and knowledge allowed him to fight for a better South Africa. Through this form of good leadership, he was able to win the hearts of leaders worldwide.
Summary of Good Leadership
These are the qualities and skillset of all great leaders. Most of them can be learned but few must be instinctive to the individual. At the end of the day good leaders must lead by example, so they set the tone and the vision of the company for others to follow in their footsteps.