Top leadership traits, qualities and skills

Recognizing the qualities that good leaders share is a priority if you hope to thrive in a management position. While you might naturally possess some qualities and characteristics necessary for success, other areas might need improvement. Familiarizing yourself with good leadership qualities and traits will help you identify your weaknesses and develop a strong management style.

 

Passion

Good leaders have a passion for the work they do and feel it is important. Sharing that passion and enthusiasm with employees can help you motivate your employees to become more productive. Praising your employees when they do a good job can be a natural extension of passion. Morale sinks and employees soon hate to come to work without occasional praise.

 

Communication

Strong leaders know how to communicate effectively with staff at both higher and lower levels in the company. Understanding how to clearly explain tasks and projects to staff while communicating the importance of your department’s work to administrators is a crucial skill that takes practice. Good communicators keep staff informed when changes or updates to projects occur, are readily available to staff and hold regular meetings to ensure that all team members are aware of the status of projects.

Good leaders understand that success isn’t possible without the help of their employees. Providing ample training opportunities for your staff and expressing your confidence in their work lets them know that you are invested in them. Strong managers avoid the urge to perform every part of a project themselves, but allow employees to make decisions, prioritize tasks and plan projects. Leaders who are committed to their teams try to ensure that all employees are treated equally and that preferential treatment is not given to a particular employee or employees.

 

Team Building

Encouraging employees to work together, rather than competitively, can result in higher productivity and improved morale. Encouraging a cooperative atmosphere and group problem solving will help you ensure that your department completes tasks on time without personal conflicts. Asking for input from employees regarding departmental functions and procedures can help them feel that they are an important part of your team.

 

Decisiveness

Employees rely on leaders to make decisions that are quick, logical and correct. Understanding the scope of the work your employees handle, the concerns of your supervisors, financial constraints and any other relevant factors will enable you to make fast decisions. Entrepreneur recommends using the “Q-CAT” system when making a decision. The system suggests being quick, committed, analytical and thoughtful when making decisions. If you are unaccustomed to making important decisions, developing a spreadsheet to evaluate drawbacks and advantages can help you focus on the issue.