Qualities of Leaders and Managers

Great leaders are not defined by the positions that they hold in their respective organization, but by the characteristics that they possess as people. It is the same thing with managers. Without these attributes, it could be said that these people will not be in those positions that they hold.

Qualities of a Good Leader

Ability to Listen

Listening leads to better communication. This does not only mean being there to listen when someone is talking, but also ensuring that everyone knows that you are open to listen and that you are a safe space to which they can speak.

Better communication leads to better teamwork and better solutions to problems that the team might encounter. You will not always have the answers, but having open communication channels with your team means more minds working on the same issues.

Clear Communication

In addition to listening, you must ensure that the communications between you and your team members are distinct and explicit. That is, while communication lines must be kept open, you must also ensure that these lines are not blurry,

Modeling Positive Behavior

In simpler words, set a good example for your team to follow. Or, be a role model. If you are a person in position who can act as well as they talk, then the people around you will also be motivated to follow you.

Resilience and Selflessness

A great leader must be able to withstand obstacles and stumbling blocks. Problems that arise at your organization should not be something that will make the organization fall. Instead, a leader must be able to drive the organization beyond these issues and rise better from it.

At the same time, leaders must never set themselves above their teams. If something goes wrong, the leader must take full responsibility for it. If something goes right, the leader must give credit to the team members who deserve them.

Effective Decision-Making

Generally speaking, leaders are people who envision new things and create new solutions that have never been tested nor done before. However, such actions come with risk. As such, leaders are people who know which risks they should take and make sound decisions in order to better the organization.

More Notable Qualities

The subsequent characteristics are further qualities that other sources consider essential for leaders.

• Self-Awareness Leaders know themselves well, both professionally and personally.
• Adaptability and Flexibility Good leaders are able to think outside the box and adapt to whatever situation they find themselves in.
• Assertiveness A good leader is able to direct people without being aggressive.
• Gratitude Leaders know to be thankful. People are more responsive and more willing to work for leaders who appreciate their work.
• Capacity to Motivate People Good leaders are able to inspire and encourage their team members to work hard and do their best.
• Courage and Resolution Good leaders are brave and committed enough towards leading their team to the attainment of their organization’s goals.
• Creativity and Innovation As already mentioned, leaders must know how to think outside the box. This does not only refer to handling critical situations, but also for new products, services, or anything else in between that could help grow the organization. Additionally, leaders should be able to not only develop their own creativity, but also that of their team.
• Decisiveness Great leaders are capable of making decisions and of having confidence in their choices.
• Accountability Leaders should learn to accept responsibility for mistakes that happen within their organization, whether it was their direct fault, and to never pass on the blame to anyone else.
• Emotional Stability Strong leaders are able to control their emotions and do not overreact. This includes not bringing issues at home to their professional settings.
• Knowledge and Skill Good leaders are, of course, knowledgeable about and skillful in their own fields.
• Intelligence and Action-Oriented Judgement Naturally, leaders are smart and act towards the development of their teams.
• Competitiveness Good leaders are driven by achievements, but not only for themselves, also their team and their team members.
• Charisma Great leaders are able to foster good relationships with all sorts of people. Additionally, they are able to influence other people to following them.
• Perseverance Leaders stick to their work, despite difficulties that they may face.
• Confidence Leaders believe in themselves and they are able to exude their self-assurance without coming off as arrogant.
• Honesty and Integrity People follow their leaders because these followers believe that they can trust and depend on their leaders.
• Empathy Leaders are able to connect with their team members not only professionally, but also at a personal level. They show that they genuinely care about their members both in helping them succeed at work and also in themselves as people.
• Delegation and Empowerment As members trust their leaders, leaders should also trust their members. Leaders can show this by giving tasks to their team members and, at the same time, allowing them to grow in their roles and capabilities.
• Humility As has already been mentioned, leaders should not be aggressive, nor arrogant. In other words, leaders should not be overly proud nor haughty.
• Respect Leaders show deference not only to their superiors, but equally to their subordinates. This helps ease tension and conflict, and improves the overall effectiveness of the organization.
• Transparency In line with being honest, leaders should be frank and not deceitful. If there are issues in the organization that might affect the team members, a leader should readily communicate this with the team instead of being secretive about it.
• Vision and Purpose Leaders should have clear goals and clear reasons for why they do the things they do.

Qualities of Good Managers

Expect Excellence

Good managers set high, yet attainable performance standards from their team members.

Communicate Regularly

A good manager will always keep in touch with their team members. That is, keeping in touch with matters at work and providing feedback where necessary. Most do this via written communication, but it can also be done personally and verbally. That way, the feedback cycle runs faster.

Adaptability and Flexibility

You would have read this in the previous group already, but good managers should also be open to new ways of looking at things and be able to adapt when necessary.

Continuous Learning

Good managers acknowledge that, despite their position, they can still make mistakes and still have a lot to learn.

Be a Role Model

Just as leaders set a good example for their team members to follow, good managers do so as well.

Decisiveness

Good managers are able to make sound and timely decisions and are able to stick with them.

Patience

A good manager knows that the development of outstanding skills and capabilities take time to develop. They must allow themselves, as well as their team members, this time and not be hasty.