Posts Tagged ‘qualities of good leaders’

Many people make it to leadership roles while others get stuck and fail to realise their potential. In my experience those who make the breakthrough have most of the following qualities:

1. Clarity

   Good leaders have clarity about what they want to achieve personally, professionally and for the organisations in which they work.

2. Talent

   Being a leader requires a high level of competence in a wide range of areas. While they might not be brilliant at everything, they need to be as comfortable sitting in front of the media as they are drawing themes from a performance report.

3. Belief

   Frequently it is what people believe about themselves that separates the successful from the unsuccessful.

4. Opportunity Spotters

   Good leaders have a great knack for spotting and capitalising on a gap in the market.

5. Adaptable

   They are able to adapt to changing circumstances within the organisation or externally within the market or environment in which the organisation operates.

6. Dedication

   Dedication is about making the choices, sacrifices and having the discipline to keep going even when it all appears like a lost cause.

7. Caring

   This might not be one that you would have expected to find on the list. However, in my experience leaders care about others’ success and bringing out the best in others.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps accountants and health professionals to become highly effective leaders and managers. You can sign up for his free audio e-course at www.goalsandachievements.co.uk

1. Create a clear and compelling vision for the future.
2. Set and communicate effectively the long term direction.
3. Involve others in decisions.
4. Listen a lot.
5. Gain the support of others.
6. Influence effectively.
7. Act as an ambassador for the organisation.
8. Act as a role model and demonstrate the behaviours expected.
9. Take a real interest in others.
10. Stay connected to the key stakeholders.

What else would you add?

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps accountants and health professionals to achieve success and realize their professional potential through being highly effective leaders and managers. For more information and to sign up for his free audio e-course click here

As anyone knows who is in, or has been in, a leadership role, it can often be hugely challenging and at the same time rewarding.

Over the years, I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to work with some great and not so great leaders.

For me, the things that differentiated the leaders who stood out included the following:

Genuine interest in others
• All of the leaders that I admired when working in big organisations genuinely had an interest in others. They were often people who made the time to help others progress, learn, grow and develop. At the same time, they still set and expected high standards of performance.

Inspiring

• I worked with one leader who, whilst highly driven personally, really inspired me and others to do what it took to get the best results. Their upbeat, ‘can do’ attitude really acted as a real source of inspiration. At the same time, they took the time to acknowledge when you had done a good job.

Sense of balance

• Most people who are in leadership roles have a certain level of drive. At the same time they are able to keep some sense of balance. They are often people who work hard and smartly when in the workplace but also make time for things outside work.

Do what they do best

• Good leaders don’t try to be great at everything. They know what they do best and build a team of people around them who complement the leader.

So what in your experience makes leaders stand out?

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps accountants and health professionals to achieve success and realize their professional potential through being highly effective leaders and managers. For more information and to sign up for his free audio e-course click here

Success as a leader can be challenging to achieve. While skills, experience and knowledge all help, qualities are important too.

So what five qualities are essential to succeeding as a leader?

1. A genuine interest in others.
2. Self awareness and a clear understanding of your own strengths and limitations.
3. A commitment to developing the leaders of the future.
4. Drive and persistence to keep going even when the going gets tough.
5. Set and adopt personally high standards.

What else would you add to the list?

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps accountants and health professionals to achieve success and realize their professional potential through being highly effective leaders and managers. For more information and to sign up for his free audio e-course click here