While some leaders are born, the majority of leaders are taught to become one. While you can get an advanced degree in leadership, some say that you will only learn to become a leader by practice and failure. Here are five leadership qualities that will inspire you to become a great leader.
Be empathetic
Empathy is the number one leadership skill, and it is also the most underrated. Some leaders tend to be heavy-handed, order-giving, give out unclear expectations, and have little empathy for their employees. Low productivity and morale are normally the result of this leadership.
However, being genuine with your employees does not mean becoming their best friends. It means that you acknowledge that you share common human experiences, bringing down their defensive walls, and showing them that you’re a real person too. This will make you seem more approachable while gaining you respect and honest feedback from your team.
Learn that failure is a given
Failure is a part of life. All of the top CEOs have experienced failure at some point in their lives but how you handle failure speaks volume to your employees. For example, Bill Gates, before building his empire, started a business called Traf-O-Data which did not succeed, and he also dropped out of Harvard. Disney was fired by an editor because he claimed that Walt Disney lacked imagination and no original ideas. His first company also went bankrupt. The Walt Disney company now makes an average revenue of $30 billion annually. Remember that finger pointing is counterproductive and the best approach to failure is to sit down with your team and figure out what went wrong and how things could have gone differently for success. Take responsibility and move forward.
Embrace change
Change can confuse even the best of leaders. Learning how to navigate through change is a crucial skill that all leaders must have. All CEO jobs don’t necessarily have a strict set of criteria, but anyone that is looking to step up to the plate will need to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Change is something that is part of life, not just business. The only difference between the two is that you’re getting paid a handsome sum to be a leader, but the skills you utilise as someone in charge will always stem from your lived experience. Change is an external component dictated by changing fashions and attitudes, and it’s your responsibility to embrace it. If you are leading an online casino operator company, for example, you might suddenly realise that your offerings are no longer bringing in new business. Perhaps, it is time to embrace new slots or types of games. Effective leaders model a positive and professional response towards change, and they need to set a standard of how to move forward from that point on.Especially when amidst uncertainty, communication becomes paramount, and leaders must ensure transparency and open dialogue to foster trust and unity within the team. By actively managing change during crises, leaders not only steer their organizations towards stability but also lay the groundwork for future resilience and success, reinforcing the importance of adaptability and forward-thinking leadership in navigating through turbulent times.
Communication realistic and clear expectations
The main reason why employees get frustrated is the fact that some leaders never properly communicate. Rather than simply expecting employees to do their jobs, effective leaders should create clear goals to be met and clear expectations of what will happen if these goals are met or not met. Furthermore, a roadmap needs to be created to get the job done. Effective leaders also reflect on whether their goals are attainable for their employees since morale will suffer if people experience failure over and over again.
Never settle
Remember that there are no perfect leaders, and that change is constant. It is crucial for a leader to improve their skills and stay on top of their industry by being open to learn new things. Evaluate your leadership qualities often, along with your strengths and weaknesses.
